DOMINO
by HedaWax
Summary: Special Agent Clarke Griffin is on her way to her first day with the FBI when a black SUV collides with her own. Lexa Volkov is finally taking the first steps in executing a plan she has worked on for years. Their worlds collide into one of distrust, suspicion, secrets, lies and strangely, mutual respect...and more? I'm horrid at summaries.
1. I'll Be Seeing You

She can already feel the burn in her quad muscles as she continues to pound her feet into the concrete path, or rather paths, seeing as she's running through what seems to be a maze of back alleys right now.

 _'Fuck, she's fast'_ Clarke thinks as she continues to chase her target. They've been running for ten minutes now and every time Clarke thinks she's getting within reaching distance, the woman pushes forward and slips down yet another alleyway.  
Clarke groans and pushes forward, this is NOT how she pictured her morning would go...

 _Its Special Agent Clarke Griffin's first day with the Bureau and she hasn't even made into HQ. This morning she was picked up in a black SUV by her new partner, Special Agent Bellamy Blake. En route to the HQ they were sitting at a stoplight when another black suv smashed into the back of them. After the initial shock of impact and checking that Blake was okay, Clarke had glanced into the rear view mirror to see a brunette woman climbing out of the drivers side of the other suv. The brunette rolled her shoulders and then lifted her gaze to meet Clarke's, her lips quickly morphing into a slight smirk before she turned and shot off into the alley on the side of road. Clarke immediately reached for her seatbelt and unbuckled it hastily before jumping out of the suv and giving chase into the brunette's direction._

So here she is, lungs burning, heart thumping as she tries to keep up with the Brunette suspect. Clarke suddenly comes to a stop at a dead end and quickly scans her surroundings. _Where the hell could she have gone?_ Her head whips around when she hears the sound of running footsteps from behind. As Clarke turns she's met with a mass of brown hair as a body slams into hers and she's flying back first into an iron fence. Immediately her training kicks in, The brunette has both her hands on either of Clarke's shoulders, so she quickly brings her right knee up to connect with the brunette's side, it's a weak blow in her current position but it's enough to weaken the suspect's grip on her right shoulder. With that grip now loose, Clarke draws her shoulder down and forms a fist to bring back up into the suspect's stomach. It's enough to knock the brunette back and enough time for Clarke to reach for her gun, but the brunette is fast and recovers quickly.  
The suspect surges forward and pushes Clarke back against the iron fence so hard that she bounces slightly, enough so that the suspect grabs Clarke's arms, turning her and pressing her face into the iron fence whilst drawing her arms behind her back.  
Clarke winces as her arms are pulled up tightly, the brunette presses her front into the Agent's back as she feels warm breath hit her ear

"That actually hurt." The suspects voice is low yet surprisingly soft, Clarke's not sure why the brunette's tone surprises her, yet she's surprised all the same.

"Good! It wasn't exactly painless when you drove your car into the back of mine" Clarke spits back.

She hears the suspect release a breathy chuckle and then feels her slide her hand into the side of her blazer and take her gun.

"I'm going to release you now, I have your gun, so no sudden movements, stay still until I say so,

can you do that?" Clarke huffs, yet nods slightly.

She hears the brunette cock the gun and slowly release the tight grip on her wrists behind her back. She hears the scraping of boots against the concrete as the brunette backs up a few strides.

"Okay, you may turn around."

Clarke takes a deep breath, first day on the job and she's managed to blindly race off without her partner, get bested in a fight by her suspect and now said suspect has her at gunpoint...with her OWN gun. This is going to go down well back at HQ. She slowly turns around with her hands slightly raised.

When she's facing the suspect, she's not entirely sure what she had expected the brunette to look like, she'd only gotten a quick blurring glimpse of her smirking in the rear view mirror, but now with a close up HD view, she's surprised by what she sees.  
The suspect is dressed in worn black leather jacket, a long maroon button down underneath that has about three or four of its top buttons undone. She's wearing black tight jeans that are tuck into worn black, leather ankle boots. Clarke raises her gaze up to the brunette's face and is met with intense deep green eyes that are studying Clarke just as much as she is. Long brunette curls cascade around her shoulders and her full plump lips are pulled into the same smirk she saw back at the suv.

"I know what you're thinking" The brunette starts. "This really isn't ideal for your first day at the Bureau."

"How did you-"

"All will be revealed Agent Griffin, but for now I really must run, a few errands still need to be completed and i'm kind of on a time schedule".

Clarke takes a step forward and the brunette is quick to usher her back.

"Uh-uh, stay back, I'm the one with the gun remember." The Brunette starts to take long strides backwards towards an alley entrance whilst keeping the gun pointed at Clarke. "And don't worry, I'll be sure to return your gun, I'll be seeing you." And with that the Brunette winked and shot off out of the alley. Clarke took chase immediately, but when she got to the alley opening the brunette was nowhere in sight.

 _'What the fuck was that'_ Clarke rests her hands on her hips and sighs heavily, this is the shittiest start to the day. As she looks up though, she ends up smirking herself as she spots a surveillance camera attached to one of the walls of the narrow alleyway. They can use that back at HQ and hopefully find out who the suspect was through the database.

"Gotcha".

What Agent Griffin doesn't notice, however, is the minute GPS tracker now sitting discreetly on the back of her gun holster.

After making her way back to Suv and receiving quite the earful from Agent Blake about running off without him, Clarke found herself sitting on the office of Assistant Director Marcus Kane, her Boss. Kane had just left the room after Clarke debriefed him on the events of this morning, she

internally cringed when Kane had scolded her for taking off after the suspect without calling in or waiting for Agent Blake, although she guesses he could've been harder. He'd seemed concerned when Clarke has told him of the bits of conversation that she and the suspect has exchanged, which is obviously justified, it's really not that great that some random suspect seems to know her name and her job on her first day, of which all information is supposed to be strictly confidential.

Clarke hears the door of the office open and Kane takes the seat behind his desk once again.

"Agent Jordan has been going through the surveillance footage from the alley, he captured a decent enough image of the suspect and is currently running it through the Facial Recognition Database to see if we get any matches. Hopefully we'll have something soon. I know I asked before, but are you sure you've never seen this woman before?"

"No, Sir. Never. I have no idea how she knows about-" Just then Agent Jordan enters the room.

"Sir, we have a match". Agent Jordan places a photograph down on Kane's desk and sure enough Clarke recognises the brunette suspect from this morning. In this photo, which seems to be a surveillance photo, the brunette is exiting a warehouse with a tall dark skinned man sporting a shaved mohawk. Jordan passes a Clarke and Kane each a copy of the suspects file.

It reads:

 **Name: Lexa Volkov**

 **Age: 26**

 **Nationality: American**

 **Parents: Mother is Former Russian government agent Meera Volkov who disappeared shortly after her daughters birth in 1990. No information on her Father.**

 **Background: Lexa Volkov was in Foster care until the age of 18. There had been sightings of her within the Azgeda mafia territory. Rumours of Volkov working for Drug lord Nia Kwin circulated back in 2009. Sightings of Volkov in Russia, Paris, London, Mexico and New Zealand have been confirmed over the years since 2010. Last known sighting was in 2013 at Heathrow Airport, London where she escaped government agents.**

"Who is the man in the photograph with her?" Kane asks Agent Jordan.

Agent Jordan shrugs slightly "No information on him, he's been run through the database several times over the years and there's absolutely nothing on him. Technically he doesn't exist."

Just then an alarm starts sounding through the building. An agent Clarke hasn't met yet bursts through the door.

"Agent Reyes, what's going on out there?" Kane stands up from his desk and patiently waits for Agent Reyes to catch her breath.

"Sir, It...It...Jesus, Once sec, That was A LOT of stairs...whew-"

"Reyes!"

"Sorry Sir, It's Lexa Volkov, she's just walked into HQ and surrendered." Clarke stiffens at that. Agent Reyes then glances at Clarke and back to Kane. "She says she has information that we need on current cases, she says she has names and locations of Major Criminals on our list and that she will gladly give us that information. With one condition,she insists she will only speak with Agent Griffin."

As they all follow Agent Reyes down to the High Risk Interrogation Unit (HRIU), Clarke's mind is racing a mile a minute.  
Who is this woman and why does she want to speak to me? This is my first day!

Before they enter the HRIU, Agent Reyes and Agent Jordan disappear into a door just off to the left of the HRIU Entrance, presumably an observation room. Kane takes Clarke aside and briefs her on questions they need her to ask Lexa.  
Taking a deep breath, Clarke then enters the HRIU and it met by the sight of Lexa Volkov sitting in the centre of a massive black and white room on a steel chair with her hands cuffed behind her back. Lexa looks up, green eyes meeting Clarke's blue ones, and there it is again, that smirk.

"Hello, Clarke"


	2. So Feisty

Lexa watches as Clarke moves forward to take the chair seated opposite her, it's a strange feeling, she's watched this woman for the past three years and she still finds her breath taking.  
Clarke is dressed in a form fitting black suit with a white scoop neck shirt underneath. Typical bureau attire, she thinks. Yet, Agent Clarke Griffin is anything but typical.

Her blonde wavy locks are pulled back in a smart, sleek pony tail and her eyes, oh those deep baby blues, are studying her intently.

"Miss Volkov, I am told you asked for me personally, may I ask why?"

"Not right now, no. Not the specifics at least, that can come later. Just know, that I know you are the best at what you do, I need someone with your set of skills to help me if I am to be one hundred percent successful in the tasks I have ahead of me."

"Miss Volkov, as far as I am aware, the first time I met you was this morning, I fail to see how you could know much about me at all. And what exactly are these tasks?"

"Please, if we are going to be working together, I would prefer you call me Lexa. As for what I know about you and how? I'm a very smart woman, Clarke, I know a lot of powerful people and I have many, many ways of gaining the information that I need. To put it simply, your ability to read people is exceptional, you have a talent for understanding the behaviour of criminals, you're loyal, trustworthy and an excellent shot. As for my tasks, as soon as your Assistant Director agrees to my terms, we can get to work on those."

Lexa watches Clarke closely as she absorbs what she just told her. Clarke isn't giving much away, she really is great at what she does, Lexa is better though and she can see Clarke is thinking carefully about what she says next.

"Okay Lexa, and what are these terms?"

"Full immunity, any charges currently against me are to be dropped. Also, I will become your new partner, we will work together on all the cases that I have information on, oh and that's a paid job, so I expect to be fully employed by the bureau."

Lexa smirks as Clarke raises her eyebrows at that. She knows its cocky, but its also integral to her plan and she needs something to fall back on when all this is over, plus, she's in a position to ask for it, seeing as she's the one with all the knowledge here.

"Miss Vol-...Lexa, that's an awfully high ask. How do we know that the information you have is anywhere near as valuable as you suggest it is? Let alone true at all?"

"Very wise Clarke, I am glad you ask. And I will prove it to you. At exactly 3:47pm at Polis City Bank' there will be an armed robbery. Julius Crow, the infamous 'Criminal Mastermind' if you will, will be sending a team of twelve highly trained men.  
They will lead you back to him. I have knowledge that they intend on blowing up the bank afterwards, with any hostages they take still inside. Its currently 2:30pm, I suggest you get going." She finishes with a wink.

Clarke instantly stands and walks out of the room, into the observation room.  
Kane turns to her "Griffin, take a team. Reyes, I want you out on the field on this one for any explosives, if what Miss Volkov says is true. Head out."  
Clarke nods and follows Reyes back up to HQ to gear up.

Clarke stood alone in the observation room, watching Lexa. They had gotten back from successfully foiling the bank robbery, interrogating Julius Crows team and finally cracking one of them down enough to gain Crow's location.  
Clarke is impressed, yes. Lexa had been truthful about Crow's plans and they had one of their most wanted criminals now in custody. While Clarke is pleased in that sense, she's absolutely pissed in another.  
For some insane reason, Lexa has been granted her terms by the Bureau.  
Now former number 4 on the FBI's Most Wanted list, Lexa fucking Volkov is her new partner. Understandably, Blake was furious, arguing with Kane over the decision as much as Clarke was. So now she's standing here, fiddling with Lexa's new credentials in her hands, psyching herself up enough to go back into HRIU with a clearer, calmer head.  
This woman is a mystery to Clarke. She's always been able to read people, to understand their behaviour and analyse them well. Not Lexa though, Clarke hasn't the slightest clue of what is going on in the brunettes head. Of course, now that they are officially partners they will be spending a lot of time together, so Clarke nods to herself that she will have plenty of time to work Lexa and her intentions out.

Clarke walks back into the HRIU to find Lexa still seated and cuffed, as Clarke approaches her, she cab feel Lexa's gaze travel up and down her body, seemingly checking for something. Clarke frowns slightly at the action and then clears her throat.

"Agent Volkov..." Lexa smiles at the new title. " your Intel on the robbery at Polis Bank proved to be correct' Julius Crow is now in Custody. The Bureau has also agreed to your terms, so long as you keep to your half of the deal, that is.  
As of now you are officially a Special Agent of the FBI...and my new partner".

Lexa is still smiling as she speaks "Excellent news. Well, we have a lot to get working on, any chance you can get me out of these cuffs now? Seeing as I'm no longer a 'High Risk Criminal' and all" her tone and attitude is so cocky and confident and just...just...so sure of herself it irks Clarke more than she'd like.

Clarke steps around Lexa's chair and swiftly releases the brunette from the cuffs. Standing up immediately, Lexa stretches out her limbs and gingerly rubs her wrists.

"Like I said before Clarke, please call me Lexa, I prefer it. I take it those are my new credentials in your hands?" Clarke hands over the credentials, as well as a badge and informs Lexa that she cab pick up a gun upstairs in HQ.

As they walk the halls, side by side up to HQ, Clarke is surprised by the brunettes calm and cheery demeanour.

"So.." Lexa begins as she turns slightly towards the blonde and starts to walk in a strange sideways-slightly-skipping motion "what do you do for fun? Like, in your own free time?"

Clarke just gives the brunette a look, with one eyebrow raised as if to say "really? That's what you're asking me right now?"

The brunette rolls her eyes "oh come on, we're partners now, going to be spending a lot of time together, there's no harm in getting to know each other, build some trust and all that jazz."

Clarke stops suddenly and turns to face Lexa abruptly.  
" Okay, Lexa, lets just get a few things straight, right now. You may have been able to blackmail your way into being my partner, because you apparently have some fancy Intel that the Bureau needs, but we are NOT friends, I am not your buddy and I DO NOT trust you, at all. This job is important to me, I actually care about what we do here. I've been looking forward to my first day here for a really ,really long time and I worked really fucking hard to get here. And then what happens on this day I've been working my ass for? YOU! You happened, you've tainted it and now I am forced to work with you indefinitely. Just...lets just do our jobs and try not to piss each other off, okay?"  
Lexa looks slightly taken aback for a second. She nods at what Clarke says and then smiles a lopsided grin. "So feisty. I like it."  
Clarke rolls her eyes and releases a huff before turning on her heels and continuing up the corridor into the main offices of HQ, with a grinning Lexa on her heels.


	3. Two Weeks

**Just a note on FBI rules, regulations...laws, all that stuff. I don't pretend to know all that, so i'm kinda wingin' it with some of what i do know. So, yeah, sorry if there are major inaccuracies in some parts. And once again, sorry for any mistakes. :D**

Two weeks.  
It's been two whole weeks since Lexa bust into HQ and somehow managed to persuade the Bureau to let her be _OFFICIALLY_ employed as Clarke's partner.  
Two weeks of enduring the brunette's over confident, cocky attitude. Two weeks of Lexa taking over any chance she got. Two weeks of the brunette's overly loud chewing and obnoxious lip smacking.  
TWO WEEKS of Lexa texting her weak pun jokes that she finds on the internet.

One thing Clarke will give Lexa, is that she's definitely held up her end of the deal. In the past two weeks, with Lexa's intel, they've been able to capture three high risk criminals, Including Jamar Eldub, the notorious Car bomb Terrorist. _So far, so good.  
_ That's not to say that Clarke has at all taken to the brunette. She still doesn't trust her and she really doesn't understand the brunette's incessant need to ask Clarke constant questions about ridiculous topics.

"So, Clarke, why do you think they say that an Alarm Clock is 'going off' when it is actually turning on?"

The partners are currently in the HQ gym sparring with some Hook and Jab pads, thankfully the brunette is currently wearing the pads, so Clarke can at least take some of her frustration out on the brunette without it seeming too obvious.

"Lexa...what? Why is that a relevant question to ask me right now? or ever?" the blonde snaps.

"Jeez, Miserable Maude, I'm just making conversation, sorry." Great, Now Clarke actually feels a little bad as Lexa genuinely looked a little like a kicked puppy at the blonde's tone.  
Ugh, maybe she could just humour Lexa and try to get to know each other a little bit, it wouldn't hurt, she guesses.

Clarke rolls her eyes and inhales deeply before beginning  
"I'm sorry, that was a little harsh, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just tired."  
The brunette's head snaps up at that. "Are you not sleeping well? or is it just all the crazy hours?"

"A bit of both, i guess? I'm exhausted when I reach my bed, but when it comes to actually shutting off my brain and falling asleep...It doesn't really happen right away. My mind starts racing over every detail of the days...or days and it just won't shut up." Clarke's a bit surprised that she's just verbally vomited all over Lexa, it's unexpected and she bites her tongue.

The brunette's eyes soften and she lowers her pads slightly when it doesn't look like Clarke's going to continue hammering her pads. "I know what you mean, I have the same problem, I actually couldn't tell you the last time I had over 4 hours of complete unbroken sleep."

Clarke frowns internally at that, she wonders what it is that keeps the brunette up at night. She also eyes the scar on the other woman's right shoulder, wondering how she got it.  
"How do you function with that? You seem to be this bouncing, irritating ball of energy."

Lexa just shrugs "Used to it, I guess. Coffee helps of course, that and eating a healthy, balanced, diet." She smirks whilst saying the last part, as she knows there is no way in hell that the blonde believes that.

Clarke laughs "HA! That's bullshit Lexa! Our suv is littered with your junk food trash. I've witnessed you stuff a whole donut in your mouth and then gave me a mini heart attack when you started to choke on it."

Of course the last part of that is what Lexa picks upon. "A heart attack, huh? That almost sounds like you were worried about me Clarke, how odd, that would hint at you possibly liking my presence and...good lord!...do you...do you CARE about me Clarke griffin?" the brunette gasps dramatically and then smiles smugly.

"Uh, no, I never said that. I'd be concerned for a stranger on the side of the road if I noticed that they were choking."

"So, you admit you were concerned for me."

"I-, well"

"Clarrrrrke, stop fighting the inevitable. Look at me, I am charming, funny-

"irritating, cocky-"

"Highly intelligent, not to mention easy on the eyes-"

"Full of yourself, obnoxious-"

"Clarke! Words hurt. Lexa says as she actually, genuinely pouts. It's almost adorable. Nope, not adorable, annoying.

"Whatever, I suppose you're tolerable sometimes. I guess I could lay off you a little. Just don't make me regret it. And pick up your trash in the suv, I am not your personal cleaner."

Lexa smiles and nods. _Seems blondie is warming up to me. yes!_

Lexa entered her apartment and threw her wallet and keys on the kitchen counter. "Linc? Lincoln I'm back, you here?" she called out to her friend.

"Yeah Lex, I'm down here in the study!" she heard his voice bellowing from down the hall.

Walking into the study, Lexa finds her friend sat at the big oak desk surrounded by various papers and plans.  
Lincoln has been in Lexa's life since she was 18. He's one of the first friends she made when she found herself working for Azgeda mafia. He's also the man responsible for saving her life and getting her out of Azgeda and into hiding, not that they really had any choice at that time. It was run or die, simple as that.

"Whatcha doin' Linc?" she singsongs, eyes roving over the papers on the desk.

"Just going over plans of the buildings in Azgeda territory. I'm pretty certain that they'd be keeping the kids somewhere near the docks, easier to ship them in and out if they have them close to the boats."

Lexa nods. "We need to get some surveillance up around there somehow. I'm just not sure how. You or I would be recognised in an instant and it's not like we can just go and hook up some camera's around the streets."

The brunette bites her lip in thought. She knows she has access to some great minds over at the Bureau now, but she's still got a way to go before she can even think of getting anyone from there involved...or if they even would. Nia Kwin and the whole freaking Azgeda Mafia need to be taken down, and most of all she needs to get Tris back. She NEEDS to get Tris out of there. The sheer frustration of having to be patient and wait until everything is in place is painful.

Lincoln seems to understand what's going through Lexa's head and looks up at her with those big caring eyes of his.

"We'll get her out eventually Lex."

"I know, of course, I know, I just have no idea what has happened to her, or what is happening to her, if she's even still-"

"No, Lexa. Don't think like that, she's still there. Nia wouldn't be that stupid, she knows you'll come back for Tris at some point, she needs her to get to you."

"Your right, as always. You hungry?"

Lincoln frowns at the sudden change of topic, but he lets it go, he knows better.

"I could eat, You choose which Take-Out, I'm fine with whatever."

Lexa shifts on her feet a little. "Actually, I was thinking I might head down to the Grocery store and attempt to cook us something, we eat too much junk food."

"What!? Did Lexa Volkov just turn down Junk Food? And, hold up one second, you're going to COOK? Do you even know how to cook? I don't really want to die today."

Brunette picks up a folder from the desk and hits him over the head with it. "Rude, Linc, fucking rude."

She walks back out of the study and grabs her wallet before leaving for the Grocery store, all to the tune of Lincoln's laughter down the hall.

Clarke is tired, so, so tired. She can't wait to change into her pjs, collapse on the couch and watch something on Netflix with her roommate and best friend Octavia.

As she enters their apartment, she finds Octavia sitting at the Kitchen counter scrolling through her iPad and something smells amazing.

"Hey, hey Agent Scully, hows Mulder? Catch any Aliens today"  
"O, you do know that The X Files isn't what the FBI actually does, right?"

"Ah, see, that's what you're told to say. I've cooked Lasagne by the way, it shouldn't be much longer"

"O...I love you the mostest of all the humans."  
"Oh, I know, Im perfectly perfect in every way." Clarke just rolls her eyes and smiles back at her friend.

"So Clarkey, how are things going with your new partner? Bell is still grumbling about it. He keeps going on about how he waited years for his friend to join him in the Bureau, how he was delighted to be partnered with you, only to have you snatched up by some former criminal."

"First off..." The blonde says, pointing her finger, "Bell tells you far too much about what goes on with The Bureau, if you ever slipped up he could get in some serious shit. Secondly, she's actually not so bad i not saying i entirely trust her, but she's actually a great Agent and...er...well without saying too much, she brings a lot to the table and keeps on proving herself. Not that id ever tell her that, believe me, her ego does not need inflating."

Octavia buns for second, drumming her fingers on the surface of the counter and then asks. "is she hot?"

"wh-what?"  
"is she hot? Come on Clarkey, its a simple question."  
Now, Clarke would be lying if she said she didn't find Lexa attractive. Like, duh, she has eyes.

She can't say she hasn't caught herself looking at the brunettes plump lips, or that perfect jawline...or those almost glowing green eyes...and that killer, killer body-

"earth to clarke!" octavia shouts waving her arms in the air.

The blonde clears her throat. "uh, yeah i guess, some might say she's attractive, if that's their type."

Octavia's face breaks out in a shit eating grin. "uh-huh, sure Clarke".  
"Shut up, O, she's my partner and there's definitely no chance of anything ever happening there." "sure, clarke. Anyway, Lasagne and Netflix?"  
"God yes."


	4. Just Dance With Me

Clarke was currently standing in the middle of the main briefing room, along with Kane, Agent Reyes, Agent Blake and Agent Jordan. They were all gathered as Lexa took the floor and explained the next case she had intel on.

As a man's face appeared on the large monitors that hung around the room, Lexa began to speak.

"This is Cage Wallace. Drug Lord of Mounin Mafia Territory. Wallace cuts out the middle man and is gusty enough to import heroin directly from south east Asia into the United States, we just don't know how. And that's not even the worst of what he does. He's developed a new drug, which has been coined as simple "Red". Whilst giving the buyer the high that they are looking for, it also increases cravings for the drug every time it's taken, so that the user has to be keep buying and taking the drug, just to stay sane. If they can't pay up, their killed and dumped."

Clarke looks up at the screen. The guy looks like a douche. Craggy face, Slick back, jet black hair, that just comes of greasy. It looks like he practically lives in sharp suits, as more photographs pop up on the screen on him at different events.

Just then Agent Reyes speaks up. "I've read about this guy. Dude is evil. Even the cops are scared of him. Pretty sure he's gotten away with killing a couple. And from what I've heard from witness accounts, his right hand man is even worse."

Lexa nods at Reyes and then presses a button on the wireless control for the monitors to bring up a photograph of another man. "Indeed, This is Carl Emerson. As Reyes said, He is Cage's right hand man, second in charge if you will. He in particular runs one of Cage's most thriving businesses, a club in Down Town..."

Lexa goes on to inform them of Cage's most popular business and hangout, The DropShip nightclub. The brunette suggests a plan that Agent's Griffin, Reyes, Blake and herself go in plain clothes, undercover, into the Club that night to scope out any of Mounin Mafia's dealing, particularly any involving "Red". Kane gives his approval and they all head home to change before meeting at Clarke's place before going over to The DropShip.

Clarke really isn't in the mood for drinking, flashing lights and loud heavy bass. Nightclubs have never really been her thing, opting to go to bars or a friends house if she ever did have the chance to let her hair down.  
Lexa had said that they all needed to act and dress as they would if they were normally going out for a night on the town, so Clarke decided on a simple black mini dress with heels. It was a little tight fitting, but it made her feel good about her body and it really was what she'd normally pick out. She applied some light makeup and wore her hair down, running her fingers through it to pull more of her locks over the right.

There a knock on the apartment door, so she makes her way out of her bedroom and along the hall into the kitchen, where the apartment door sits to the left.  
Clarke opens the door and her eyes meet Lexa's green ones. The brunette opens her mouth to speak and then stops herself, her eyes flirting rapidly from Clarke's eyes, to her hair, her nose, her lips (which linger a little longer) and then suddenly shifts her gaze to travel ever so slowly down the blondes figure. Clarke cant really make too much of a comment over that, as she's mental slapping herself for doing the exact same. Lexa is dressed in a deep burgundy button down, a few buttons are left undone at the top, revealing the slightest hint of cleavage. Her sleeves are rolled up to her elbows and the bottom of her shirt in tucked into... _Jesus_...very tight...very LEATHER black pants.

Clarke looks back up to see Lexa staring back at her with a small smirk and a quirked eyebrow, the brunette looks like she's about to speak again when they are interrupted by Raven and Bellamy.  
Raven is dressed similarly to Clarke, but in a red mini dress and Bellamy has gone for black jeans and a black button down shirt.

"Great! We're all here, shall we make a move?" everybody nods to Raven, Clarke grabs her purse and keys and they all head out to the club.

Lexa is having an internal struggle. Yes, they are all currently ordering their drinks at the bar of the club, but this is strictly for work purposes. She needs to focus, look out for any sign of Emerson or Cage, for any low key deals taking place. All of which would normally be a simple enough task, if it weren't for Clarke Griffin and her little black dress. She wonders if the blonde knows just how sexy she looks, if she's noticed Lexa's inability to tear her eyes away from shamelessly ogling her partner. Lexa's pretty damn sure that Clarke checked her out back at the apartment, which is a wonderful turn of events, but she's also not naive enough to believe that Clarke would even entertain the idea of being anything more than what they currently are. Still, being checked out by Clarke is a win.

The four take their seats at a booth of to the right of the dance floor. The DropShip is an impressive club. Space themed – obviously. A large circular dance floor sits in the centre of the building, a huge glass sphere sits above it, the DJ Booth. 2 bars run along the entire span of the building on each side, and booths like the one they are currently seated are scattered around the dance floor.  
They make small talk whilst they sip on their drinks, it turns out Raven and Clarke have built quite the friendship in the passed 3 weeks and regularly hang out in their free time. She learns this after they were discussing favourite TV Shows and Raven has mentioned her and Clarke's recent binge session of 'House M.D' on Netflix at Clarke's place last week. Lexa cant help but wish that the blonde had invited her over to watch Netflix. Bellamy appears to be a huge history buff and will

knock out a review of literally any book you mention. Clarke mentions her love of Art and music, she plays the guitar but insists she's only pretty average in her abilities. Less can't help but think the blonde is downplaying herself slightly, in her eyes she imagines Clarke is probably amazing at anything she chooses to do.

Just then Raven brings her out of her thoughts.

"What about you Lexa? What is it that you do in your spare time?"

"Well, I like-"

"Are you asking her about her hobbies before or after her life of crime?" Clarke grumbles.

Lexa frowns, that came out of nowhere.

"Clarke.." Raven warns, giving her a look as if to say 'dude, what the hell?'

"What raven? It's a valid question, I'm tired of pretending that we've let a known, lowlife drug criminal into our-"

Lexa clears her throat, cutting of the rest of the blondes sentence. "uh, I'm gonna go and get another drink and mingle around the place, see if I notice any deals going on." And with that Lexa stands and heads off in the direction of the bar, wondering what on earth brought on Clarke's outburst. _I thought we were getting along._

Clarke watches Lexa walk away from their booth and feels her stomach drop. Why the fuck did she just blurt that out? She knows why. She can feel herself warming to the brunette more and more everyday, and after the way her body reacted to Lexa earlier, she can no longer lie to herself that she is indeed attracted to her too.

"That was shitty Griff. I wasn't exactly keen on the idea of Less joining the Bureau at first, but even I can see how much good she wants to do. You should really give her a chance. And may I add, none of know exactly what Lexa was doing all those years after she left Azgeda. You can't just go around making assumptions. You should really give her a chance."

"Ugh. I know Rae, god she looked so hurt when I said that. I'm gonna go find her and apologise."

" Okay Griff, me and Bell will have a mooch around too. See if we spot anything going down. Be nice, make an effort."

Clarke made her way through the crowded club trying to spot Less through all the dancing bodies. When her searching eyes finally found the brunette, she was standing St the bar talking to a red headed woman. The red head threw her head back, laughing at something Lexa must have said, whilst running her hand over the brunettes arm.

It annoyed Clarke that the sight of someone flirting with the brunette bothered her. Although she wasn't about to admit to herself that the feeling in her gut seemed suspiciously like jealousy. Clarke strutted up to the two women at the bar and stopped by Lexa's side, silently grabbing the brunette's hand and leading her to the dance floor.

"Hey, I was in the middle of a conversation with that girl" Lexa shouted over the music. "what is it, did you spot Emerson? Cage?"

Clarke didn't answer the brunette, instead she turned around, pressing her back into Lexa's front and bringing the other girls hands to her hips.

"uh...Clarke?"  
"Lexa, just dance with me."

"Lexa,just dance with me"

Lexa swallowed, hard. The fact that her hands were sitting snuggly in Clarke's hips right now was making her head spin. Not 15 minutes ago the blonde was calling her a low life and now she's dragging Lexa away from the ref head at the bar and now she was pressed against her...swaying her hips... .seductively.

 _Hang on. Clarke wasn't JEALOUS, was she?_

Not wanting to wait this sudden opportunity, Lexa shook herself out of her thoughts and gripped the blondes hips more tightly, pulling the other woman closer to her body. Her eyes nearly rolled in to the back of her head when she felt Clarke roll her hips, grinding her ass back into Lexa's crotch.

Lexa leaned down, her lips slightly grazing the blonde's ear.

"Not that I am not enjoying this impromptu dance, but I must say I'm slightly confused. About 20 minutes ago you were calling me a lowlife drug criminal"

She felt Clarke tense and then the blonde turned back around to face her, arms draping around Lexa's neck as she continued to sway to the beat. The blonde looked into her eyes

"Yeah, about that, I'm sorry, I was an asshole. It's just that...you came barrelling into my world, knowing next to everything about...well, everything and I still don't know anything about you."

"Well, I was going to share before you cut me off back there..." Lexa isn't going for a dig, in fact it makes her happy that Clarke wants to know more about her.

The blonde rolls her eyes and Lexa continues "...I will answer any questions you have, I'll be honest with you, I'd like to be friends Clarke, for you to trust me."

Lexa smiles back when Clarke gives her a nod with a small smile of her own.

And as Lexa continued to look into the blonde's eyes, she was confused to feel something press hard into her back. Her stomach twisted as a familiar male voice spoke into her ear.

"Commander, Long time no see".

Clarke was startled out of her stare with Lexa, when she saw Emerson appear behind the

brunette's back and whisper something into her ear. She watched as Lexa's eyes went wide and felt the other woman's hands tighten on her hips. Clarke's own eyes nearly popped out when she heard Lexa next speak.

"Emerson, long time indeed. You want to tell me why there is a gun pressed against my back, right now?"

"Just a precaution Commander, I know how slippery you can be. Cage wants to see you, wants me to take you, who's the blonde?" Emerson jerks his head in Clarke's direction.

"She's no-one, just a girl I met at the bar. If Cage wants to see me, we'd better now keep him waiting." The brunette's eye bore into Clarke's silently pleading with her not to give anything away "Thanks for the dance blondie, maybe I'll see you around." Lexa bent forward, pressing a soft kiss to Clarke's cheek, whilst quickly whispering her ear. "Don't follow, go home, I will text you, Trust me."

Clarke felt herself start to move back into the brunette's space, but was stopped when Lexa ever so slightly shook her head _'NO'._

Clarke could only watch, helplessly as Emerson walked Lexa through the club and out of sight.

 _Fuck._

Clarke rushed through the club, desperately searching for Raven and Bellamy. She soon found them standing at one of the bars and quickly ushered them out of the club.

Once outside the club, Clarke relayed to them everything that just went down with Lexa and Emerson.

After she finished talking, raven spoke up

"I don't like this Griff, she's in there with those guys, alone. God knows what they're asking her, or doing to her, we can't just leave her."

"Don't you think I don't know that Rae? My instincts are screaming at me to call this in, go back in there and pull her out. She told me not to, she asked me to trust her, you told me I should trust her, give her a chance." Clarke ran her fingers through her hair, she's stressed, she doesn't know _WHAT_ to do.

"Clarke's right..." Bellamy added. "...If we go barging in there, Mounin are going to know who we are and we could ruin everything that Lexa's worked for...if Lexa asked us to go, then she must believe that she can handle it. I say we go back, we wait and if there is no word from her by morning, we'll bust in there"


	5. Friends

Clarke can't sleep. She got a text from Lexa over 3 hours ago, it simply read

 **Volkov: I'm fine. They just want to talk, make sure I'm not still with Azgeda. I'll call you soon. - L**

Raven and Bellamy left a couple hours ago, Clarke has tried to sleep, but the battering in her heart isn't helping calm her enough to relax. She looks at the clock on her nightstand, it's 4:04am - roughly 4 hours since they left the club. What the fuck is taking so long.

Clarke jumps when her phone make a sound, alerting her to a new text message.

 **Volkov: I'm outside your door, Can you let me in?**

Clarke sighs in relief, then frowns quickly wondering why Lexa hadn't just knocked.  
She throws the covers off her body and jumps out of bed, rounding the corner where her hallway and kitchen meet. When she opens the door, her blood runs cold.  
Lexa is sitting on the floor, her back proper up against the wall opposite, her chin is resting against her chest with her hair hiding her face from Clarke's view.

"Lexa?"

At hearing her name, the brunette lifts her head too look at Clarke - and that's when Clarke's heart jumps right up into her throat. Lexa's face is a mess, her bottom lip is busted open, blood smeared across her cheek and up to her left ear. She has an angry, swollen left eye and bruise is starting to form on the right side of her jaw. It's dried up some by now, but it looks like her nose has been bleeding for quite a while.

Clarke immediately skids forward, landing on her knees in front of the other woman, she takes Lexa's face gently in her hands.  
"Lexa! oh my god, I thought you said they just wanted to talk? Where are you hurt? We need to get you to the hospital."

"This IS how the Mounin 'Talk' and no hospitals, I just...I just need you to take my phone and call the contact named 'Lincoln'...Tell...Tell him where I am, please."

Clarke eyes the brunette, she really thinks she should be ringing an ambulance right now or at least driving her to the hospital. She hesitates.

"Clarke, please" there is desperation in the brunette's eyes, so she reluctantly nods and fishes the girls phone out of her jean pocket.

It rings twice before a man's voice greets her on the other end

 _"Lexa, whats up? How did The DropShip go?"_

"This isn't Lexa, this is her partner, Clarke. Look, she's just turned up at my place pretty badly beaten up and she asked me to call you."

 _"Clarke? okay, okay, text me your address, I'm heading right over. Tell her not to worry and I'm on my way."_

The line goes dead and Clarke quickly writes out a text of her address and sends it. She puts Lexa's phone in her pocket and turns back to the injured woman.

"Okay, Lincoln is on his way, he said not to worry. Now let's get you inside on the couch, okay?"

Lexa nods and Clarke helps her up on to shaky legs. She brings the brunette's right arm around her should and Lexa winces. "Ribs. Hurt."

Clarke nods and puts her other arm around Lexa's waist and drags her into her apartment, gently sitting her down onto the couch. She silently thanked whatever Gods were out there, that Octavia was staying at Bellamy's place after dog sitting for him.

"I'm sorry Clarke, your apartment was the closest place to the club, I couldn't make it back to mine." The brunette managed to croak.

"Hey, hey, shhh, it's okay, I'm glad you came here instead, who knows where you would've ended up. I'm going to go and get my first aid kit in the bathroom, I'll only be a second. Stay awake, okay?"

Clarke rushed off to the bathroom and retrieved the first aid kit from the cabinet above the sink. When she came back, she placed the kit beside Lexa and quickly got some warm water and a cloth from the kitchen. Kneeling in front Lexa, Clarke dipped the cloth in the water and began to clean the blood from the woman's face.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened back there?"

"They wanted to make sure that I wasn't still working with Azgeda. Wanted to make sure I wasn't snooping around. Although I'm pretty sure it was mostly just Emerson taking advantage of the chance to hurt me. I stole a lot of deals from him, back in the day. Anyway, they asked me why I left Azgeda, I told them the truth. I think they believed me, I'm alive at least."

"Why did you leave Azgeda?"

"Well, It wasn't really a choice. I wanted to leave for a long time, but I was tied there, I had people there. I was the best at what I did, there was no way Nia would've just let me leave. I had a girlfriend there, Costia...We were in love, She was one of the only people I trusted, we were as happy as you could be in a world full of Drugs and Violence, we kept each other sane. Or so I thought. One night on a job, it was me, Lincoln and Costia and the client was late for drop off. It was a big buy, and I was growing impatient, Lincoln had gone to look out in the CarPark. After about 10minutes Costia suddenly turns around and shoots me right in the shoulder and grabs the cash and leaves me there bleeding out on pier."

"Lexa, I'm sorry, I can't imagine how much that hurt to have the person you love turn on you."

The brunette lets out a humourless laugh and then winces at the pain in her ribs. "Yeah, doesn't exactly make trusting people easy these days. There was no way we could go back to Nia without the cash, knowing that I'd been fooled by my own girlfriend. She'd of had my head. So Lincoln risked everything, carried me into the car and just kept driving as far away as he could. I was in pretty bad shape when we got to a Motel. We stayed there for days whilst he nursed me back to health. We both had enough cash saved away from our cuts in deals to live on for a while. We left the country and-"

The brunette was cut off my a knock on Clarke's apartment door. It was Lincoln.  
Nodding to Clarke he rushed over to the brunette on the couch and started pulling things out of the duffle bag he had brought with him.

Lincoln has long patched Lexa up the best that he could and carried the brunette into Clarke's room after she has offered her bed up for Lexa to get some well needed rest.

Clarke hovered in the kitchen, deep in thought over how it had affected her to see Lexa in such a state. It hurt her to see the other woman in pain, to see the sadness in her eyes when she told her about Costia's betrayal. She curses herself for being so harsh on the brunette without knowing anything about her before. She thinks about all those old saying she used to hear in school 'Never judge a book by its cover' or 'Never judge someone without knowing the whole story'. And she'd done exactly that.

She's brought back out of her thought by Lincoln coming back out of her room.  
"She asleep, thank you for calling me, for letting her stay here. It's nice to know that there is someone else in this world that cares about her." he finishes with a kind smile.

Clarke returns the smile "Of course, she's my partner after all."

Lincoln tilts his head to the side slightly and looks at Clarke with an expression that she's not quite sure of. Curious? he takes a seat on one of the barstools and rests his hands on the counter whilst fiddling with his thumbs slightly.

"Look, I know its hard to trust people like Me and Lexa, what with our background and all, but we never actually wanted to be there. We were young and abandoned, got in with the wrong crowd, which is a huge understatement..." he smirks. "We're good people, just trying to survive. LEXA is good people. She's like a sister to me, she's saved my ass more times than I can remember and all she wants to do is help, do good, rid this world of the evils that are Azgeda and Mounin. I'm her best friend, but she could do with more."

Clarke smiles knowingly "And I'm guessing you think I should be one of those new friends?"

Lincoln twists his mouth, as if thinking how to execute the words he wants to say properly. "I think she's lonely, I think she deserves some fun times, fits of giggles and random silliness. I think she deserves feel relaxed in someones company, without wondering if they judge her for her past or need her for personal gain. I think she deserves some warmth and some kindness. And yes, I think that you could offer her that, if you opened yourself to it."  
Clarke just looks at Lincoln in awe, he obviously loves Lexa greatly and its truly refreshing in

todays world, to see how much he truly cares for his friend. She thinks about the time she has spent with Lexa and how everyday she warms to the woman more and more. Clarke moves over to the counter facing Lincoln and gives his hand a light squeeze.

"I think so too."

They had continued to chat while Lexa slept, that is until Octavia burst through the apartment door around 7am. Much to Clarke's amusement, Octavia didn't seem the slightest bit fazed about the previous nights events and was far more interested in flirting with Lincoln. Whilst the flirty pair chatted, Clarke went to check on Lexa in her room, to her surprise the brunette was already awake, sat up on Clarke's bed, messing with her phone.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

The brunette looked up and smiled, putting away her phone. "Like I got hit by a truck. I'll be fine though, a day of rest and I'll be good. Thank you by the way, for helping me last night, calling Lincoln, letting me take your bed for the night."

"It's no problem, that's what partners do, we look out for each other...and that's what friends do to, right? They take care of each other."

Lexa's head shot up at that. Looking into Clarke's eyes with an expression of wonder. She looked like a cute little puppy, eyes wide, seemingly delighted and confused at the same time.

"F-friends?...we...we're friends?...you're my friend?"  
Clarke let out a small chuckle at that. She smiled and placed her hand on the brunette's.

"Yes, Lexa. We're friends, I'm your friend and you could even be mine too, if you want." the blonde smirked at her own teasing tone.

"Yes! Yes, of course, I'd love to be friends with you, Clarke." The brunette's cheeks tinged pink, as if embarrassed by how keen she was to make the idea a reality.

Clarke laughed again, finding the other woman's behaviour beyond endearing. Lexa could be a cocky, smirking badass one moment and then incredibly dorky and adorable the next.


	6. Pink Roses

It has been three weeks since the night that Lexa turned up at Clarke's apartment, beaten to a pulp. Three weeks since Clarke offered friendship. And three weeks of cases, bickering, shared stories, shared lunches and a blooming friendship.

After what happened with Emerson, Kane had advised that it'd be better to lay-low on engaging Mounin and rather keep observing their movements from afar until they had more to work with. This has made Lexa slightly twitchy, as it didn't go well with her own plans, but she understood Kane's concerns. _That didn't mean herself and Lincoln couldn't track things privately._

It was 8pm on a Friday Night and Lexa was currently climbing the stairs to Clarke's apartment, smiling to herself that this would be her third time being invited to the blonde beauty's 'Gang Night'. 'Gang Night' usually consisted of Octavia, Raven, Bellamy, Jasper and the Bureau's I.T guy Monty, as well as its Front Desk Receptionist, Harper. _And now ME! Internal yay._ Lexa laughs at herself and shakes her head _Calm down Cheesy McCheese._

Knocking on Clarke's apartment door, she's greeted by a bouncy Octavia, flinging her arms around her neck. After Octavia and Lincoln has taken such a liking to each other, the dark haired girl has been spending a lot of time at her own apartment. She didn't mind much though, she liked Octavia, she was good for Lincoln and her energy and spirit was a delight to me around.

"Lexaaaaaa. Thank god you're finally here, all these people talk about is work and cases and code names I know NOTHING about, IN FRONT OF ME, and then refuse to explain ANYTHING."

Lexa laughs and wrestles herself from Octavia's death grip. "They're just protecting you, O. The more you know, the more at risk you are. The less you know, the better...

"See!" her favourite blonde calls from the Kitchen to her left, waving her index finger in Octavia's direction.

Octavia pouts and dramatically slouches her shoulders and drags her feet as she goes to join the rest of the gang around Clarke's dining table. Lexa walks over to the blonde in the kitchen and hands her a couple six-packs of beer, to add to the pile of drinks and snacks that the others has contributed to the evening.

"Howdy, Partner" Lexa greets Clarke with her usual cocky smirk. "Hi" the blonde replies, rolling her eyes, yet smiling all the same. "Need any help?" the brunette offers

"Nope, take a beer and go sit your butt down with everyone else, I'm just assembling the snacks."

Lexa shrugs and goes to join the others, everybody greeting her with a friendly smile. It's nice, to feel welcomed into this group. Apart from Monty and harper, she's gotten to know everybody pretty well by now and she's pretty sure she can call them her friends, too.  
Clarke joins them after a few seconds, chips, dip and candy in her arms. She introduces Lexa to Monty and Harper...and Lexa does NOT miss the flirty wink harper sends her way. She ignores it of course. Sure Harper is attractive, long blonde hair, nice brown eyes and a sort of quiet confidence about her. But, Lexa only has eyes for one blonde, a blonde with beautiful deep blue eyes and a raspy laugh that makes her stomach feel funny. A blonde that is currently staring right at her with an amused smile, whilst raven waves a hand in her face.

"Yo! Earth to Sexy Lexy!"

She shakes out of her trance at Raven's awesome nickname for her.

"Sorry, what?"

"We're gonna play some cards, you in?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." she shrugs, trying to act nonchalant, like she wasn't just mentally listing some of her partners best features.

They play a few different card games until everyone's a little too tipsy to continue to keep up with the rules, so they decide to sit down in Clarke and Octavia's living room and go around in a circle asking random questions.

"Okay..." Harper sits up when it's her turn." ...um...ok, what is your most prized possession?"

Jasper: "Easy, Monty"  
Monty: "Hey! I'm not a possession!"  
Jasper: "Its meant as a compliment bro, a loving statement, you're by best friend"  
Monty: "Aw, your my best friend to Jas. Um, mine would be my computer-"  
Jasper: "Hey! where's the love?"  
Raven: "Same, computer, well, gadgets. all of them."  
Bellamy: "How touching and sentimental. Mine would be my that O got me, I wear it everyday on the job, she keeps me safe."  
Octavia: "ha!, sap!"  
Bellamy: "Hey! you got it for me!"  
Octavia: "Technically, is looking out for you...sap."  
Bellamy: "That's the last time I share anything heartfelt or meaningful around you guys." Clarke: "Blatant lies, you love a good heart to heart...sap"  
Bellamy: "Traitor!"  
Harper: "Lexa? What about you?"

Lexa stills for a few seconds, wondering if she should share this part of herself with everyone. she figures they're all friends now. _It can't hurt, right?_

She clears her throat "Uh...Well, its over there hanging on the coat rack." Clarke: "Your leather Jacket?"

Lexa nods before continuing, "Um, yeah. It's actually the only thing I have of my Moms, it was hers. I was, uh...That's what I was wrapped in when she left me on the steps of the orphanage back in TonDC. At least she made sure I was wrapped up warm before she abandoned me, right".

She realises how sad that sounds as she's saying it and let's out a nervous laugh, trying to ease up on the atmosphere she has just, drastically and unintentionally changed. _For fuck sake, why did I just say that? Idiot._

Everyone is looking at her with that typical, pitying look that she hates, nobody says a word and the awkward silence is making her want to jump to her feet and run out the door. That is, until Clarke speaks up.

"Um, My dad, he gave me his watch on my 18th birthday. It was my Grandfathers, then My Dad's and so, me being his only child, he then passed it on to me. I was so excited about it, I felt so honoured. And even though I don't have it anymore, It's still my most valuable possession..."

Lexa frowns at that. _Why doesn't Clarke have it anymore?_ That doesn't sit right with her, that's not fair. That must make the blonde so sad.

"What happened, Clarke? To the watch?" Lexa feels Octavia pinch her side, she jumps, looking to the girl, only to be met with a glare and a quick shake of the head.

"Its fine O, I don't mind..." the blonde take a deep shaky breath before continuing.  
"My Dad and I were walking home from the Movies one night, when we were mugged at knife point. My Dad stepped in front of me, trying to protect me and ended up in a struggle with the mugger. He stabbed my Dad in the chest and then, whilst I was screaming over my Dad's body, he ripped the watch off my wrist and took off. Left me there to watch my Dad die in my arms. They never found the mugger and I never saw that watch again. It was probably sold on or melted down, I don't know."

If Lexa thought her story brought on an awkward silence, it was nothing compared to the silence hanging in the air after Clarke's story.

The brunette reached over their circle of friends and placed her hand on Clarke's.  
"Clarke, I'm so sorry." Lexa could see the unshed tears pooling in the blonde beautiful blue eyes. Her partner blinked and then immediately stood up "Well! enough serious story time for today!" she let out a shaky, hollow chuckle. "I'm just gonna go use the bathroom, how about we put on some music? O?"

Octavia nodded, smiling sadly at her friend. "Right on it, bestie".

Lexa's heart ached to go after the blonde and make sure she was okay, but she wasn't sure it was a good idea, she wasn't sure if her comforting would be well received.

It looks like Octavia and Raven thought it would be though.

"Dude! Go see if she's okay!" Raven whispered in her ear.  
She looked from Raven to Octavia, only to see the blonde's roommate jerk her head in the direction of the bathroom.

Lexa got up onto her feet and made her way down the hall to the bathroom. She hovered outside the door, hesitating. _You knock on that door Lexa and you go inside and see if your friend is okay. if she tells you to go, that's fine, it's not the end of the world, she just needs time to herself. Go!_

She knocks lightly twice and speaks softly through the door. "Clarke? Can I come in?"

Lexa stands there for a minute before she hears the click of the lock on the bathroom door. Taking that as a sign to enter, she gently opens the door and peaks inside.

Clarke has put the seat down on the toilet and is now sitting on it with her head in her hands. Lexa slowly closes the door behind her and moves to kneel in front of her partner.

She tentatively places a hand on Clarke's knee and rubs it gently. "Hey, you okay?"  
There's some sniffling and then the blonde looks up to meet the brunette's eyes. Lexa feels her heart squeeze inside her chest at the sight of Clarke's watery eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get all blubbery and silly, I've been dealing with my Dad's passing for years, I guess the mix of alcohol and talking about it made my emotions come to the surface."

Lexa squeezes gives her knee a gentle squeeze and shakes her head. "No, Clarke, don't ever be sorry. It's okay to have a good cry sometimes. We all need those...I...I'm sorry if me talking about my mom made you feel the need to take the focus of me."

The blue eyed beauty let's out a tiny, shaky laugh. She looks up at the brunette again "You caught that, huh? You looked uncomfortable, I thought if I shared a similar story, that all the focus wouldn't be on you.

 _GOD. Can she get anymore perfect. HOW am I supposed to function._

"You don't need to do that, Clarke. I'm a big girl, I can look after myself. Thank you though. That was so very kind and sweet of you. And who knew you had such a soft spot for me? You're getting soft." the brunette winks at her. It makes the blonde laugh.

"Your an idiot, Volkov"  
Lexa, of course, just smirks. "I've been called worse. Want a hug? We can hug, right?"

Clarke rolls her eyes at the brunette, yet she doesn't try to hide the smile on her face. "Yes, Lexa, we can hug."

Lexa stands up, reaching out a hand to pull the blonde to her feet and then pulls her in, wrapping her arms around the slightly shorter girls, cupping a hand around the back of her head and stroking her hair. _This is nice._

"This is nice. Turns out you're a great hugger, Volkov, would've known."

"Pffft. You, probably a lot sooner, if you hadn't spent so much time being determined to dislike me. But alas, in the end, you came to your senses. Nobody can resist the incomparable, Volkov. Lexa Volkov."

Clarke bursts out laughing, pulling away from the brunette's embrace. "Did you just 'James Bond' yourself? You're crazy"

Lexa just grins back at the other woman, so happy that she could pull Clarke back out of her sadness and make her laugh that beautiful laugh. Totally aware of those pleasant little flips in her stomach.

Lexa had just gotten back to her apartment, had a shower, gotten ready for bed and pretty much dived into it. It has been a great night in the end. And if she was honest, she was really,really

happy to have had her first hug with Clarke. Yes, a friend hug, but still a hug. Something she never would've dreamed of two months ago.

She's broken out of her thoughts, by her phone vibrating against the wooden nightstand.

 _Caller ID: OCTAVIA_

She swipes to accept the call.

"Hey O, I was about to go to sleep. Whats up?"

 _"Are you gonna ask Clarke to the Ball?"_

Lexa frowns. _What ball?_

"What? What are talking about? What Ball"

 _"Lexa, literally everyone was talking about it tonight at our place. you were obviously to busy staring at Clarke to notice."_

Lexa feels her cheeks heat up at that. Octavia had teasing her relentlessly the past couple of weeks about her obvious crush on Clarke.

"Whatever, I still don't know what you're talking about."

She hears Octavia let out an impatient sigh on the other end.

 _"Raven said that every year the Bureau has a Ball, they raise money for charity...or funds...or something! You gotta ask Clarke to be your date!"_

"I don't know Octavia, Would'nt that be weird to Clarke? She only see's us as Partners, Friends. I doubt she'd go with me.

 _"Are you actually kidding me? Honestly you two are infuriating. Yes, Lexa, I think Clarke would say, Yes. It's Obvious she likes you too."_

Lexa can feel her own eyes go wide. Octavia thinks Clarke likes her back? Could she? maybe? "You really think she'd go with me?"  
 _"Ugh! Yes, Lexa! For goodness sake! Just ask her, tomorrow. And I expect a full report after."_ Lexa rolls her eyes, but she can't help the smile that's taking over her face.

"Okay, okay, I'll ask her tomorrow. Thanks, O."

 _"No problem, Lexa. Goodnight, And don't forget to call me tomorrow!"_

"I won't! Goodnight."

 _Just walk into your office and ask Clarke to the Ball. Easy. No. Wait. The rose. Where's the damn Rose._

Lexa hurries back to her car and pulls the single pink rose out of the back seat. She remembered Clarke saying how she liked Pink roses.

 _'Admiration, gentleness, grace, gladness, joy and sweetness are just a few ways to describe the meaning behind the pink rose.'_ Lexa thinks that's just perfect for someone like Clarke.

 _Okay, Just walk into your office, give Clarke the rose and ask her to be your date to the ball. You can do this. Take a chance. She's more than worth it._

Lexa feels her legs start to get heavy as she walks the hallways to their office. She's trying to take calm, steadying breaths, the last thing she wants is to be unable to get her words out because she can't breathe. When she get's to the office door, she takes one, long, deep breath, hiding the rose behind her back and pushing open the office door.

Upon entering their office, she see's Clarke standing on her side of the desk, deep in conversation with a man she doesn't really know. She recognises him from the front desk though, working along side Harper.

And just as she's about to approach their desk, she hears her partner ask the man something that causes her to freeze on the spot.

"So, basically Atom, I was wondering if you'd like to be my date to the Ball? That is, if you're not already going with someone?"

 _Ouch. This hurts._ Lexa feels her face fall from the foolishly optimistic, stupidly hopeful smile she had plastered on it. _Stupid face. As if she'd go with you._ She feels like an idiot, standing here with this rose behind her back, thinking she's being somewhat romantic. And yet the woman she wanted to ask to the Ball is stood in front of her, asking someone else instead. _Of course she doesn't like you back. For fuck sake, Octavia._

Clarke turns her head slightly, catching sight of Lexa.  
"Morning, Lex-" Clarke frowns at Lexa's crestfallen expression. "...Lexa? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Lexa panics. How the hell is she going to escape when she's got this stupid rose behind her back.

"Uh...yeah...well,no not really. Actually I'm feeling kinda sick. I think, I need to go home. Sorry, Maybe Bell can cover, I'll call it in, I gotta go, sorry-" And with the she spins around on her heels, quick to hide the rose with the sleeve of her leather jacket as she does, hops back in her car, throws the stupid rose in the backseat and drives home.


	7. Idiot

_"Who the fuck is ATOM? Is he a fucking unit of matter? Who the hell calls their kid ATOM?!"_

Octavia had been going on for about five minutes now about the guys name. Sure Less is taking some comfort in her friends ranting, but she's more upset over the fact that Clarke didn't even give her a thought as a date to the Ball.

 _"Shit, I'm sorry dude, you must be so bummed out right now. I truly, honestly thought she would want to go with you. I had no idea she was even planning on asking anyone, she hasn't mentioned anything to me"_

Lexa sighed into the phone as she sits on her couch, playing with her boot laces.

"It's fine Octavia, I should've known better. There's just no way someone like Clarke would ever see anything more in me-"

 _"What! Uh-uh! You stop right there Missy, no self loathing. You are a funny, kind, highly intelligent, fearless bad ass! You're smoking hot and our Clarkey would be lucky to have you! Now you pick yourself up off of that sexy ass and come pick me up so we can go shopping for the Ball."_

"O, what's the point? I don't even have a date. And I'm sure as hell not going to suffer several hours on my own, watching whilst some guy gets to dance with Clarke all night" the brunette grumbled.

 _"Well, lucky for you, I know someone who is still dateless and will just LOVE to know that you are too. Now come pick me up, you SHALL go to the Ball."_

Turns out, Harper had wanted to ask Lexa to the Ball, but like Octavia, she was pretty sure Lexa was going to go with Clarke. Octavia had told Lexa that Harper was more than willing to be her date and so it was settled. Lexa couldn't help but feel a little bad about Harper being her second

choice, she was a beautiful woman, afterall and she deserved to be someone's first choice. The receptionist seemed to be happy to be her date though.  
And that's how she found herself being dragged around the city by Octavia, for HOURS. Thought she had to admit, it was worth it. She was more than happy with the outfit that they FINALLY agreed on. And she was very, very appreciative of her new friends help.

Clarke was feeling really fucking shitty. For the past three days she's experienced a very quiet Lexa. A sad looking Lexa. And it hurt Clarke's heart to know that she was the cause of it.  
Yes, she knew Lexa was planning to ask her to the Ball, she had overheard her roommate, not so quietly talking to her partner on the phone about it. She feels like an asshole. But...she's just not ready.

She's scared. She has come to adore the brunette. Even her over confident cocky behaviour, of which she has not seen at all since the brunette has rushed out of their office. _Godammit_. She did NOT plan on Lexa walking in, JUST as she was asking Atom to be her date to the Ball. Lexa is always late, so Clarke thought when Lexa arrived Atom would have left by then, and before the brunette could ask, the blonde could just casually mention to Lexa that Atom has asked HER to the Ball.

Which, Clarke knows, is STILL shitty, but it seemed to be a good plan to stall anything occurring between them too fast. She really did not expect Lexa to be on time, a minutes early even and see the whole thing. _God, she must think I like him.  
_ Atom is a nice enough guy, handsome, polite, funny. But she's not into him. How could she be with Lexa in her life. _This is all such a fucking mess._

As Clarke is packing up her stuff for the day, to go home and start getting ready for the Ball, she spots Lexa getting into the elevator. She would usually wait for Clarke and they'd walk to their cars together whilst the brunette cracked flirty jokes. That hasn't happened the past few days and Clarke feels the absence if it. The brunette looks so downcast. _You look beautiful even when you're sad_ she thinks to herself. _I wish I was braver._

Clarke and Atom had just entered the massive Ballroom of the hotel that was hosting the event, when she spotted Raven and Bellamy standing just off to the right of the impressive round Dancefloor. She lightly touched Atom's elbow and gestured to her friends and he happily led them over to them.

" Hey, Clarke, wow! You look amazing!" Raven complemented, whilst Bellamy smiled and nodded in agreement.

"You too, Atom, very handsome."  
And Atom did look nice, he'd picked Clarke up on time in a smart Black Tux, white shirt to match Clarke's dress.  
Clarke was wearing a backless, white, floor length evening dress that had a strip of jewelled detail in a band at her waist and her neckline, which came just below her collarbones. Her blonde locks were pulled back in a half up, half down do, kept in place by a braided crown. Atom had given

her a single red rose and as they left the apartment, Clarke was sure she heard Octavia and Lincoln's hushed whispers, catching her roommate say something that sounded strangely like 'Team Lexa'.

Coming back to the present Clarke heard Bellamy and Atom offer to go to the bar and get them all some glasses of champagne.  
As the guys walked to the bar, Raven moved to stand in front of Clarke.

"So, Atom,huh? I thought you might've changed your mind"

The blonde sighed at her friend. "Raven, Drop it for tonight? Please? You know why I didn't change my mind. Let's just try and have a fun night."

Raven held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry, I just think...you're an _IDIOT_ "

Clarke gaped at her friend. "Jeez, Raven, Harsh!" and that's when the blonde realised that her friend was staring at something over her shoulder.

The blonde turned around to see what her friend was staring at and her _. ._ At the sight before her.

"Like I said, You're an idiot" Raven repeated whilst moving to stand by Clarke's side.  
"I'm a FUCKING IDIOT" the blonde, just about managed to breathe out. _Whoa when did I stop_

 _breathing?_

The sight that had caused both women to stop and stare, and for Clarke's jaw to drop to the floor was...Lexa. Lexa arriving through the doors of the Ballroom. Lexa, looking stunning, beautiful, elegant, magical... Clarke internally whined And _HOT AS FUCK.  
_ Lexa stood there, tall and regal in a form fitting black, halter neck evening dress, floor length... _with a freakin' leg slit_ , showing off a silky smooth, toned leg of which Clarke has never had the opport- nope...never had the HONOUR of seeing until now. The stunning brunettes hair was down in sleek tousled curls that fell around past her shoulders and came to a stop just above her elbows. She was so effortlessly exuding sexy.

Clarke was kicking herself.

Then she watched as Lexa turned slightly, smiling back at someone...and then a hand was settling on the small of the brunettes back...and then she saw her...Harper. Harper is Lexa date? _Well of fucking course she is Clarke Griffin. You've seen her admiring Lexa. Lexa is...LEXA! Anyone would be insane not to want to be her date to s freakin' Ball!_

The blonde wasn't exactly close friends with Harper, but they did hang out in the same bunch of friends. That disappointed Clarke. _Ugh, I can't even ignore her...stop being a bitch, this is your own damn fault._

"Down girl. Be nice to Harp, it's not her fault you couldn't grow some balls" Raven quickly whispered into her ear as Lexa and Harper made their way over to them.  
Clarke just glared back at her friends teasing.

Harper was the first to greet them. "Raven, Clarke, you both look stunning." She said with a genuine smile.  
Lexa gave them both a smile, but, Clarke noticed the brunette couldn't meet her eyes.  
"Yes, you both look beautiful."

Clarke felt cold at not being able to feel those beautiful green eyes meet hers.

Clarke was NOT having a good time. Why? Because stupid Harper was hogging Lexa. Making Lexa laugh, putting her annoying hands on Lexa's back or her waist every time they moved around the room.  
The guys had come back with the drinks and Harper had taken Lexa away to go and get their own. Clarke hasn't had a single chance to Lexa on her own and it is KILLING her.

Atom has pretty much given up on trying to win Clarke's attention and currently bro-ing it up with a Bellamy somewhere. She assumes. She hasn't really checked, her eyes are currently trained on Lexa as she laughs, AGAIN, at something Harper whispers into her ear. Clarke wants to make Lexa laugh. Clarke wants to dance with Lexa.

"Oh, for Christ sake, Clarke, your grump cat face is killing my vibe. Just go and ask to cut in!" The blonde can't blame Raven for being bored with her mood, although she doesn't appreciate the 'grump cat's comparison.

Surprising herself, Clarke nods to Raven, downs the rest of her glass of champagne. And starts striding over to Harper and Lexa on the Dancefloor. When she reaches them, she clears her throat, turns to Harper and asks politely

"May I cut in?"  
Harper looks to Lexa who gives her a slight nod, and makes her way over to Raven at the bar.

They both stand there for a few awkward seconds, before Clarke can't take it anymore and swiftly slips into Harpers vacant space, gently taking Lexa hands and placing them in her hips before sliding her own hands over the brunette's shoulders, through her hair and clasping her hands loosely at the back on Lexa's neck. And Clarke is definitely sure that she saw the other woman's throat bob as she nervously swallowed. They sway along to the soft jazz music playing, for a few minutes before Clarke just says what she's been wanting to say since she saw Lexa enter the room.

"You look so beautiful. I haven't been able to take my eyes off of you all night."  
The brunette continues to look anywhere but Clarke's eyes, as she mumbled out a soft "Don't" "Why? And why won't you look me in the eyes?"  
The brunette let's out a nervous puff of air before answering.

"Because if you say things like that to me, it'll give me false hope. And I-I can't look at you...because...because you look so beautiful that it actually hurts. It hurts that your here with him...and not me."

Clarke moves one of her hands from behind Lexa's neck to softly cup her cheek. _Her skin is so soft._

"I wanted to be here with you."

Lexa's eyes finally snap up to meet Clarke's own when she says that, and Clarke feels waves of relief at being able to feel those mesmerising green pools looking back at her once again.

"But you, you asked Atom, you-"

"Just let me explain, okay?"  
Clarke goes on to tell Lexa exactly why she had come up with her horrible idea to ask Atom before the brunette could ask her herself. She explains how she had overheard Octavia, how she had panicked, how she was afraid of the intensity of it all, her feelings and how fast she knows they could just lose themselves in each other.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this? I've spent the past four days convinced that you didn't feel anything for me, like I do for you. It's okay to be scared, Clarke. I am too. But, more than anything I want this. I want you."

Clarke can't help but feel her heart rate pick up at Lexa's words and when she focuses on the vulnerable face of the other woman, she rushes to let her know that she wants it too, just...

"I want this too! I want you too. I do, god, so much. But if by some crazy stroke of luck, you decide to forgive me for my ridiculous actions and...and we do this. I need to go slow, really slow. Everything has been so fast paced since you came into my life, I need to breathe through this. I need to go at my own pace. Could you handle that?"

Lexa just grins, a grin that turns into a wide toothy smile. And Clarke feels herself mirroring the expression.  
Clarke feels Lexa's hands gently squeeze her waist.

"Clarke, I'd go at any pace for you. I think slow is a good idea, and I understand what you're telling me, about how you feel and I completely respect that. So, let's go slow?"

The blonde knows her smile is probably blinding, she actually worries for a second that her face might split.

"Yes!, I mean, Really? Like, you forgive me, just like that?"

Lexa just pulls the blonde a little closer and rests her forehead against Clarke's own.

"Im not going to lie to you, Clarke. It hurt, hearing you ask him, thinking you couldn't possibly feel anything more for than a friend, to see you here with him. But I do get it, even if you went about everything in a bit of a crazy way" And Clarke can feel the other woman's smirk forming before she even looks back up to see it. "But, if you needed to go through that to come to your senses and realise what a _freakin' AWESOME_ catch I am, then I suppose I can let it pass this once."

The blonde laughs and pulls back to slaps the other woman playfully on her arm. "I'll make it up to you."

And of course Lexa has to then wiggle eyebrows, suggestively. That earns her another playful slap on the arm, accompanied by an amused, yet warning look from Clarke.

"Slow!"  
Lexa just smiles back at her, eyes never leaving Clarke's.

She nods "Slow."


	8. Secrets & Lies

It'd been a few days since the ball and everything was…flirty.

Not that Lexa hadn't been flirtatious with her before, but this felt different to Clarke, it meant something, it was softer and sweeter. - And the fact that Clarke found herself uncontrollably flirting back, was making the brunette smile wider than she'd ever seen.

They hadn't kissed or anything like that yet, but every hello and goodbye was met with a tight, lengthy hug. Lexa was being incredibly respectful of Clarke's need to go at her own pace, with whatever was going to transpire between them. The fact that they'd at least acknowledged that there were feelings between them, and that eventually that would lead somewhere was enough for now…kinda….sometimes, Clarke finds herself wanting to break her own rules when she catches herself staring at the brunette's luscious, pouty lips too long.

The two women are currently sat opposite each other in their office. They'd spent a mind numbing amount of time filling out paperwork. Clarke looks over at the brunette who is currently typing away furiously into her phone, and decides they could do with a much need lunch break.

"Hey, we've been at this for a while now and I'm starving!, what do you say we head out and grab some lunch?"

Lexa looks up at her, slightly startled after being so caught up in her high speed texting and Clarke can't help but grin at the adorable expression.

"Uh, Actually, Clarke, I've got to head out for a bit…Lincoln's been texting me about some Plumbing emergency at the apartment. So I'm going to go over and make sure he's not making things worse."

The blonde frowns slightly, Lincoln seems like the kind of guy that could easily take care of something like that himself, let alone need Lexa there to observe.

"Alright, I'll just go grab a sandwich somewhere, meet you back here in an hour?"

"Sure! Alright, well, I'll see you later." The brunette stands from her chair and pulls on her leather jacket. She hesitates slightly before leaning down and quickly kissing Clarke's cheek, then turning and sliding out the office door. Leaving a blushing blonde with a dopey smile on her face.

Lexa makes her way down the dirty alley, looking for the familiar shop window. She hasn't been here in years and she's just hoping not to run into any shady old faces. She's just hoping her black hoodie, with the hood up is enough to not get spotted by any Mafia Members. Being so close to Azgeda territory isn't her best idea, but this is the only place she knows that could help her with her search. Pushing through the rickety shop door, she's welcomed with a wall of dust and must smells. At the old oak desk stands a tall, broad, beast of a man. His long dark braided hair and bushy, wiry beard just the same after all this time.

"Longtime no see, Gustus." she smiles as he looks up from his desk with wide eyes.

"Lexa! My god! Come here" says Gustus, opening his long arms to wrap the brunette in a bear hug. "You've grown into such a beauty! To what do I owe this wonderful visit?"

Lexa returns the hug in earnest, before pulling back.

"Well, I have a favour to ask actually. I'm looking for something, something that has been long lost and incredibly hard to track down. And I thought, who better to have the skills to track it down than the great Gustus."

The mountain of a man let's out a hearty laugh.

"Enough of the flattery, you know I'll help, you're cutting it fine though, you shouldn't be here, this close. What is it you're looking for?"

"I know, but I was careful, nobody has seen me. It's a watch. It's not mine, but it's a friends. It has great sentimental value and i'd like to get it back for her. I have a description and I know that there is an inscription on the back. It was stolen in a mugging several years ago."

Lexa goes on to explain in more detail about the watch and why she wants to get it back for her friend. She hands him a piece of paper with the description, flaws and inscription on it.

"I'm not going to lie Lexa, it'll be hard to track it down after all these years. Although the inscription my help narrow it down if it hasn't mean scratched off-"

"I'll pay whatever it costs. Whatever resources you need."

Gustus studies her carefully. "She must means a lot to you, this friend. For you to go to all this trouble.

The brunette nods firmly.

"Alright Lexa, I have your number. I'll let you know what I can come up with."

The brunette smiles gratefully.

"Thanks Gus."

It was 7:15pm and Clarke was currently locking up her car after parking in the underground garage of her apartment complex. As she made her way to the elevator, to take her up to her floor, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up…a telltale sign for her that something wasn't quite right. She slowly began to reach for her as she approached the elevator, before a gruff voice made her spin on the spot, gun drawn.

"Easy there, Blondie. I just want to talk." Standing in front of Clarke was Emerson, hands raised in surrender.

"How the hell do you know where I live? Have you been following me? And no offence, but I've seen the results from your version of 'talking'."

Emerson took a step forward, before coming to a halt when the blonde cocked her gun in warning.

"How I found you here is not important. What is, is that I have some information which I think will interest you. I know who you are, who you work for and I know Lexa is working with you. I'm not surprised she managed to weasel her way in though, that one has always had a talent for manipulating those around her to get what she wants."

"What are you even talking about?"

"She's using you, Clarke. She's using all of you, the Bureau. Lexa needs you all on her side if she's to carry on with her criminal activities undetected. What better cover than an FBI agent?"

"You're talking shit, Lexa has proved herself to be a valuable asset to the Bureau. Everything she's provided us with so far has rung true. Now, I suggest you get out of here before I lose my patience, and I WILL be reporting your visit to the-"

But Emerson cuts her off when he reaches inside the left of his jacket. And Clarke quickly cocks her gun again.

"I wouldn't try anything, asshole."

But Emerson just continues to pull out a manilla envelope from his jacket.

"No guns here blondie, just some photographs your going to want to see. Tell me, where was Lexa this afternoon? Was she with you?"

Clarke frowns at his question, her brain trying to come up with a reason as to why Emerson is asking her this. _What game is he playing?_

The blonde shakes her head slightly. "She had to go back to her apartment, plumbing emergency or something, I-"

"Are you sure? Because these pictures say otherwise." he cuts her off as he passes her the manilla envelope.

Keeping her gun trained on Emerson, Clarke shuffles to her right to Place the envelope on the bonnet of a nearby car. She slides the photos out and it met with many different pictures of a woman in Black jeans and a black hoodie making their way across a street and down an alley. It's one of the many pictures that makes her stomach twist though. Just before the woman turn into the alley, she looks right, up the street, appearing to be checking out her surroundings. You can clearly see the woman face. Lexa.

Clarke feels something twist in her stomach, and it isn't pleasant.

"What am I looking at?" she snaps.

"That's Lexa just outside Azgeda territory this afternoon. I followed her because I've suspected her of being back with Azgeda for some time. Nobody walks away from that life, it's too addicting. The money especially, but also the power and thrill of being top dog. And Lexa was always the best at what she does."

Clarke's heart rate has picked up. Confusion clouding her senses. This can't be right. But then why did Lexa lie?

"Why are you showing me this? What is it that you hope to gain here?"

A slimy, seedy grin grows on Emerson's face that Clarke is sure he thinks is charming, but is anything but.

"I'm glad you ask. Basically, Mounin wants Lexa taken down, put away, whatever we need to do to just get that damned woman out of our way. She knows too much of our dealings and we can't risk having that information fall into the wrong hands any longer. If you bring us Lexa, we will give you all and any information you need on not only Lexa, but Azgeda too."

Clarke just stares at him in disbelief. Her mind reeling and not quite being able to mentally digest the photographs in front of her. But if Lexa had lied to her about this, then what else has the brunette lied to her about? And Emerson offering information on Azgeda? That's a huge offer. The Bureau hadn't been able to get anything on the Azgeda, it's far guarded. They're far too slippery and they cover their tracks well.

"I need time to think on this."

Emerson just hands her a blank card with a number scrawled across it in black ink. "You can reach me on this. If you decide you want to talk more, call me."

And with that Emerson turns and calmly slips away, Leaving Clarke a shocked and confused mess.


	9. Desperate

Lexa is happy. She's the happiest she's been in years and its all down to one, beautiful, amazing blonde. Clarke Griffin.

Her phone buzzes again with a new message.

 **Gustus: Got an update. Come by, but be careful.**

Lexa is excited. She really wants to make Clarke happy too, and she thinks that reuniting the blonde with her Dad's watch is a good way to start, or continue.

Her phone busses again.

 **From Clarke: Hey, seeing as it's our day off, you wanna do something? :)**

Lexa winces as she reads the message. Ugh, She'd love to spend the day alone with her favourite blonde, but getting this watch back for her is important.

 **To Clarke: Sorry! I'd love to but I really need to clean the apartment, its a mess, i've been seriously slacking lol rain check? ;)**

It's no a complete lie, her apartment does need a good run through. And she has been slacking what with all the hours they've been putting into cases and paperwork….and spending more time out of work hours with the blonde beauty.

 **From Clarke: sure, no worries :) See you tomorrow.**

Lexa smiles to herself and pulls on the same black jeans and hoody from the other day before she grabs her keys and wallet, heading out of her apartment building and heading towards Gustus' shop.

She doesn't notice the blonde in the black suv, 3 cars behind her, her mind too absorbed with thoughts of a smiling Clarke getting her fathers watch back.

Clarke feels sick. She's parked up several cars behind Lexa and watched as the brunette crosses the street, hood up, head down and slips into the alleyway.

Lexa had lied to her again. She feels so foolish. She knew she shouldn't have trusted the brunette so easily. Since when did her instincts get so clouded by pretty green eyes and a cocky smile.

She's angry. She feels so betrayed. She picks up her phone and she dials the number Emerson gave her.

"Okay, let's talk."

"You're making the right choice. Lexa can't be trusted. The Mounin will be happy to provide you with any and all details you need regarding Lexa, her past, her dealings and of course Azgeda."

Emerson has just entered the passenger side of Clarke's car after she'd parked up outside "The DropShip".

"Let's get one thing straight. I don't trust you. But having an active criminal within the Bureau is a bigger threat right now. That's the only reason i'm willing to work with you on this."

Emerson nods.

"So, how is it you want to do this? I'm not handing Lexa over to you. I'll be the one to take her in. But I can't exactly just arrest her without definite proof." Clarke can hardly believe she's having this conversation right now. this is not where she thought she'd be when the week had started.

"Lexa has been looking for one of the kids that has managed to escape Azgeda, poor girl was subject to some horrific experiences thanks to Lexa and Azgeda's child trafficking ring. One of our guys found her and we've been keeping her safe. Apparently she was one of Lexa's 'Best Girls', a popular choice with clients, so she wants her back, badly."

Clarke's face screws up in disgust. Anger boils in her blood. There's so much she never knew about Lexa. How could she have been tricked by such a vile person. The brunette was a truly talented liar.

"So? What's the plan? Get to it, I want this over and done with as quickly as possible."

"As do I. I need you to lure Lexa to a meeting place. There is an abandoned warehouse just around the corned from The DropShip on Kellar street, you can't miss it. You get her there and i'll bring Tris, as soon as she see's the girl, she'll try to snatch her. Then you'll see her true colours. Nothing matters to her more than getting her back."

Clarke nods, but narrows her eyes before saying. "If you screw me over, if you fuck this up, we'll come crashing down on you. I'll come after you with everything we've got."

Emerson just smirks back at her. "I've no doubt about that. Tonight then, 10pm. That gives you a few hours." and with those words, Emerson exits the vehicle and Clarke drives home ready to think up an excuse to get Lexa to the warehouse.

Lexa is beaming. Excited, nervous, giddy.

Gustus had managed to actually find the watch and Lexa is far too excited for Clarke to finally get back her fathers watch. Octavia has mentioned that is was Clarke's birthday tomorrow, so, HELLO, it all fits perfectly. The brunette had asked Gustus to put the watch in a pretty oak presentation box, with a handwritten note from the brunette herself. And to then have it delivered to the blonde's apartment tomorrow with an obscene amount of birthday balloons. Who doesn't love birthday balloons.

Lexa walks into her apartment with a spring in her step, ready to get a good night's sleep so that she can spoil her favourite blonde tomorrow.

Little does she know what the night has in store for her.

Clarke's hands shake as she writes the text. Anger, betrayal and pure adrenaline coursing through her veins.

 **To Lexa: Got an anonymous tip on a deal of 'Red' going down tonight. Meet me at the abandoned warehouse on Kellar street nr DropShip.**

The blonde takes a deep breath and waits. The warehouse is dark and cold and empty apart from Emerson and Tris who hide out of sight in an alcove behind her. the small girl hadn't said a word. Eyes wide and obviously traumatised by what she has been through because of Lexa. it only spurs Clarke on more. This bitch is gonna get put away for a long, long time.

Her phone starts ringing out, echoing around the hollow interior of the warehouse. She let's it ring, she won't answer.

"For fuck sake Clarke! pick up!. Pick up, pick up pick up!"

Lexa is in a panic. She just got Clarke's text and she's frantically trying to ring her back as she and Lincoln race to the warehouse in Lexa's car.

"Why the hell would she go to a tip off on her own? without calling me?" she yells as Lincoln sips in and out of traffic.

"I don't know, Lexa. But you need to calm down, we're almost there. And if there is a deal going down, you need to not go rushing in there guns blazing." Lincoln's trying to calm his friend down, but his gut twists uneasy, something feels off.

"You're right. it's just unlike Clarke, she isn't this reckless."

"I'm sure she's fine, she can take care of herself. She didn't get to where she is without proving herself."

The brunette stays quiet. She just wants to get there, she couldn't bear it if the blonde got hurt.

"Finally" the brunette breathes out in relief, as they park up outside the warehouse. Before entering the warehouse, she turns to Lincoln.

"You wait out here, out of sight. if they spot us, If we get into trouble, you come running and back us up so we can get out."

Clarke can hear footsteps. She feels her muscles tense and the grip on her gun tighten. Then she see's Lexa cautiously enter the warehouse. She spots Clarke and immediately quickens her pace towards her, a look of feigned concern written across her face. _A talented actress, I'll give her that._

"Stop right there. Don't move an inch closer" Clarke commands as she raises her gun and aims it at the brunette.

Lexa immediately halts in shock. Confusion evident in her eyes.

"Clarke? What are you doing? What's going on?"

The blonde scoffs at the brunette's worried expression.

"You're a fantastic actress Lexa, I'll give you that. I know you've been lying to me, I know you're still working with Azgeda. I'm taking you in and you're going to spend the rest of your days behind bars, where you belong".

Lexa shakes her head rapidly.

"Clarke, what are you talking about? Who have you been speaking to? I haven't lied to you. I haven't worked for Azgeda in years, you know this! I would never betray you,Clarke"

The blonde let's out a humourless, dry laugh.

"Oh? you haven't lied? You haven't lied about where you've been going? like say….when you said you'd had a 'plumbing emergency' at home? or when you had to clean your apartment?" Clarke narrows her eyes at Lexa. "I know where you went Lexa, I saw the pictures of you near Azgeda Territory. I even followed you. So stop lying, give it up."

Lexa's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Clarke, please! You've got it ALL wrong-"

"I don't want to hear it! I will not listen to another word that comes out of that lying mouth!" the blonde spits out. It hurts, it hurts to look at this woman, the woman she was falling for, the woman she adored only 24 hours ago. Only to realise she'd been fooled all this time. Used as a pawn in Lexa's plans, just to keep her activities off the radar.

Lexa recoils at the blonde's harsh tone. But then she shakes her head, clearing her thoughts. She takes a step forward. Clarke cocks her gun.

"Your not going to shoot me, Clarke. You've got this all wrong, but its okay, we can talk about this."

"Don' . move."

Just as it looks as if Lexa is going to protest further, Emerson comes out of the alcove behind Clarke, grip tight on the back of Tris' jacket.

He and Tris come to a stop a few steps to Clarke's right and then everything happens so fast.

Clarke watches as Lexa's eyes go wise like saucers. A desperate look across her face and Clarke cringes in disgust at the brunette's obvious desperation to reach this girl. The girls she wants to trade, to sell, to use as some slave for her own gain. How could she have ever had feelings for this evil woman.

At the sight of Tris, Lexa lunged forward in an attempt to snatch the trembling girl from Emerson's hold. But Clarke is faster. She won't let Tris suffer because of Lexa ever again, she won't let Lexa get her filthy hands on the girl. Clarke just reacts. It's all too fast.

 ** _BANG!_**


	10. What Did You Do

**_BANG!_**

Lexa comes to an abrupt halt, the bullet hitting her just below her right rib and just above her hip. Her eyes are wild in…confusion? fear?….sadness?…is that Betrayal Clarke sees in her eyes? The blonde feels those green orbs piercing something through her soul. Suddenly her stomach turns and it all feels so wrong. The brunette is looking at her with utter shock.

There's a scream from her right and a flash of mousy brown hair as Tris rushes towards Lexa. _Wait, why is she rushing to her? why does she care?_ Lincoln suddenly comes barreling into the Warehouse out of nowhere. When did he get here. He rushes to catch Lexa's limp body just as she starts to collapse backwards. He looks up at Clarke with wild eyes

"WHAT DID YOU DO?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" he screams at her as he takes of his jacket and presses it to Lexa's seeping wound.

And then, there it is. The sounds she hears that makes her heart jump into her throat and her blood run cold. It's Emerson, laughing.

He begins to clap. "WOW! I couldn't have hope for a better outcome! Truly. Thank you Clarke, Thank you for getting the job done, whilst my hands remain clean. Honestly, bravo."

Clarke stares at him. Suddenly her vision takes on a hazy edge to it and everything feels like a dream, a really really bad dream. _No, this can't be happening, she can't have been fooled by Emerson. She saw Lexa near Azgeda, she was being shady, she lied to her!_

"I'm sure there are many questions running through your head right now" Emerson states with a slight chuckle.

"You lied. About everything. This was your plan to get Lexa taken out, without getting your hands dirty. But….but she lied, the pictures, i followed her!-"

"Ah, yes! Some old antique place I believe. Pretty risky with it being so close to Azgeda lines, but then Lexa has always taken chances. No idea why she was there, but it was a good enough opportunity to get you to start doubting her."

Rage builds in Clarke as she turns her gun on Emerson. Shame, Embarrassment, PAIN at having fallen for his lies, his act - omg she just shot Lexa. Innocent Lexa.

As she cocks her fun in Emerson's direction three more Mounin Men appear from behind him, guns trained on Clarke, Lincoln, Tris and Lexa.

"Ah! ah! I wouldn't do that if I were you. We could take you all out right now. We're going to leave now, lot's of deals to make tonight. and seeing as Lexa has been taken care of, you can keep the girl, something to remember her by. She's Lexa's little sister after all."

And with that Emerson and his men backed out of the warehouse, guns still trained on all of them until they were out of sight.

Clarke immediately scrambled over to Lexa. "oh my god, Lex, Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, Please, Please, I'm so sorry."

Lexa just stared at her, eyelids drooping, breathing laboured. She didn't say a word. But the hurt, the feeling of betrayal in her eyes was evident. Stabbing at Clarke's heart like shards of glass.

"Take this and put pressure on the wound. I have to call an ambulance. If she even makes it. If she doesn't. It's on you, Clarke." Lincoln spits out, face contorted in a combination of anger and worry, as he holds his phone to his ear.

Clarke takes the blood soaked jacket and does as Lincoln says. She looks over at Tris - Lexa's SISTER - oh god. The girl is silent, just staring at her sister as Lexa stares back.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so stupid. I should've trusted you. Confronted you. I'm so sorry. Please, believe me." Clarke pleads as she uses her other hand to stroke Lexa's forehead.

The brunette doesn't turn to look at her. Green eyes still trained on her sisters.

All they can do now is wait for the ambulance to arrive. Clarke silently prays to whatever gods can hear her. _Save her. Save her, Please._

They've been at the hospital for hours. Lexa went straight into surgery and they have yet to hear a word on her condition. Clarke has thrown up twice, consumed by her guilt. All she keeps seeing is Lexa's eyes when she shot her, it's haunting.

Kane has already been there, taken Clarke and Lincoln's account of what went down. Clarke told him everything, from Emerson approaching her in the garage to the meeting at the warehouse, to shooting Lexa. She knows he's disappointed in her, in her judgement, that she let herself get tricked. She knows her punishment will be harsh, she may even lose her job. But that's the least of her concerns right now, she's too terrified of losing Lexa.

The blonde sits in the private waiting room with her head in her hands. Raven and Bellamy are there too, for support she guesses. Lincoln sits opposite her. He hasn't spoken to her at all, although she saw him shoot her several unreadable glances as she relayed the events leading up to tonight, to Kane.

A surgeon walks into the waiting room and everybody stands.

"It was a tricky surgery, but we got the bullet out. We had to remove a tiny amount of her intestine, but she will recover well, in time. Miss Volkov is extremely lucky the bullet didn't hit anything else. She's resting right now, but you may see her if you wish."

Clarke, not thinking, instantly steps forward, but it stopped by Lincoln's hand on her shoulder, softly stopping her movements."

He looks at her with soft, understanding eyes. "Not now, okay?"

Of course. What was she thinking, there's no way Lexa will want to see HER right now. The blonde swallows harshly and nods reluctantly. Turning to go and sit back down, resting her head in her hands once again.

She must have fallen asleep, because Lincoln is knelt before her shaking her shoulder gently. She immediately sits up straight.

"Wh-what? is she okay? is she-"

"She's okay, Clarke, she's resting. But you should really go home now and rest."

"But i want to see-"

Lincoln cuts her off with a sad look in his eyes. "Clarke, she doesn't want to see you. She wants you to leave."

At that Clarke feels her heart break some more, but she nods anyway. Standing up to follow Lincoln out of the hospital as he offers her a ride home.

Clarke enters the apartment only to have Octavia rushing towards her, pulling her into a tight embrace. Lincoln has already informed her of everything, she guesses. Octavia pulls away with sad eyes and ushers the blonde to bed in silence. Sleep takes over Clarke's body quickly, but nightmares plague the night. The feel of cold steel against the skin of her hand, the sound of the gunshot, the pained look in Lexa's eyes.

Clarke wakes up to knocking on the apartment door. Heaving her restless body out of bed, she stumbles to the door in her half-asleep state.

She opens the door to be greeted by some delivery guy, his face half covered by several helium balloons, holding a large box out to her. She signs for it, gives a small smile to the delivery guy in thanks and closes the door. Placing the box on the kitchen counter.

She frowns at the sparkly silver, blue and pink balloons that read 'Happy Birthday'. Wow, I totally forgot its my birthday today.

She carefully opens the top flaps of the box, glitter shoots out of it making her jump in surprise. There's a a square oak bow inside, with a small card next to it. She opens the card and read it.

 ** _"Happy Birthday, Partner!_**

 ** _I could never stop thinking about that time when you told us about your Dad's watch. What it clearly meant to you, how much you missed it._**

 ** _I got in touch with an old friend that own a Specialist Antiques place and I put in a favour. He found it, Clarke. I hope this brings you much Happiness and makes your special day, that much brighter._**

 ** _Call me when you get this, I hope to spoil you today ;)_**

 ** _Happy Birthday!_**

 ** _Lexa xoxo_**

Clarke carefully opens the oak box, only to be greeted with something she never ever thought she would see again. She shakily picks up the gold watch and turns it over to inspect the back of the face. And there is, the inscription that had been there since before even her great grandfather has handed it down - 'May We Meet Again'.

The blonde is immediately overcome with an influx of emotions. Grief, Joy, Relief, Pain, Loss and Guilt.

She remember what Emerson had said to her in the Warehouse.

 _"Ah, yes! Some old antique place I believe. Pretty risky with it being so close to Azgeda lines, but then Lexa has always taken chances…"_

Oh god. Lexa hadn't been busy with any dodgy dealings. She was hard at work trying to get Clarke's watch back for her. Of course she would, sweet, sweet Lexa. What a fucking mess.

With tears gushing down her cheeks she reaches for her keys, not even bothering to change out of her pyjamas and opens the door, she has to see Lexa. But before she opens the door, Octavia calls out to her.

"Clarke!, Clarke, where are you going?"

the blonde turns to face her roommate and friend. "I have to go, Lexa got my watch back, I have to see her, O. I have to try to fix things, I have-"

Octavia approaches her, putting both her hands gently onto Clarke's shoulders.

"Clarke, stop. You can't, Clarke. She's not there."

Clarke stares back at her friend, confusion written across her features.

"Well, where is she? I have to see her!"

Octavia drops her head, takes a breath and then looks back up at the blonde again, worry clearly written in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Clarke. Lincoln called me this morning. Lexa requested to be transferred to another hospital. Lincoln's with her and he says that once Lexa is released….he says she's put in a leave of absence with the Bureau. I don't know where they are, Clarke. Lexa has sworn him to secrecy."

Clarke can feel the tears come more rapidly. She chokes on her sobs at the realisation that Lexa doesn't want to see her, doesn't want her to find her. The thought of not having the chance to see the brunette right now, to do SOMETHING to right everything, to try to fix things, somehow makes her heart ache. She's well and truly fucked up. And suddenly Clarke remembers a conversation she had with Lexa, when she'd arrived at Clarke's apartment beaten by the Mounin. The story she told Clarke about Costia.

Clarke's gasps and her hand whips up to cover her mouth. Lexa has trusted her, had cared for her, had feelings for her and she betrayed her, she SHOT her. Just like Costia shot her.

She falls into Octavia's arms as her body trembles with guilt ridden sobs. Octavia holds her friend as tight as she possibly can. Her Heart breaking, for both her friends.


	11. Everything I Have

Three Months Later

A one month suspension. Clarke had gotten off lightly for her part - major part - in what went down that night in the warehouse. She'd been scolded for being so easily duped and had also taken part in some lengthy therapy sessions. She had gone back to work a month later, on shaky ground with Bellamy as her temporary partner until Lexa came back…if she ever came back. Clarke had lost count of the amount of times she ran the events, leading up to that night, through her head. How easily she let Emerson get in her head, she's a highly trained agent for fuck sake and yet she was so quick to fall for his manipulations.

The past few months had been torture. The first month of having nothing to do, led some pretty pathetic wallowing, usually on her couch surrounded by comfort food and binge watching mindless television trying not to think of the brunette that haunted her sleepless nights.

Being back at work had been a better distraction, although Lexa's absence was felt tenfold. No flirty banter, no stupid pun jokes, no cocky attitude or sexy smirking, no lopsided smiles. No Lexa.

Clarke has never meant to pull the trigger, it was reflex, a horrible, terrible reflex when the brunette had lunged for Tris. Clarke knows that's not enough to excuse anything though. They should never have been in that position in the first place, and that was all on her.

Lincoln had been in touch with Octavia throughout those months, letting them know that Himself, Lexa and Tris were safe and well, but giving nothing more. Octavia had been a great support for Clarke, not that she deserved it. Forcing the blonde to eat when she'd forget and to engage in mindless conversation when she was lost too deep in her thoughts. When Clarke's nightmares about Lexa would have her screaming into the night, her roommate would hold her, comfort her and coax her back to sleep.

The Bureau's efforts to track down Emerson had been fruitless, The Bastard seeming to have disappeared into thin air, without a trace. Even questioning Cage Wallace was a lost cause, the shady Mounin leader appearing to genuinely be seething himself at not knowing his right hand man's location. Cage said he knew nothing of Emerson's plans that fateful night. Clarke didn't know what to believe, the blonde found it hard to have any real faith in her instincts anymore, not after she had gotten things so terribly wrong.

Clarke dragged herself out of bed, having been woken by her alarm, telling her it was time to get up and prepare for another day of work. She showered, washed her hair, brushed her teeth and tried not to make eye contact with herself in the mirror - something she avoided a lot these days. The blonde then dressed in her fitted black pants, polished black boots, crisp white button up and black blazer. She pulled her belt, with her gun holster around her waist and clipped in her gun, skipping breakfast as she usually did these past months. Grabbing her keys and wallet with her badge, she accepted a quick, silent hug from her roommate and made her way out of the building and on to HQ.

Walking into HQ, Clarke noticed her colleagues seemed to be buzzing with conversation, she made her way over to Raven, Jasper and Bellamy who were chatting animatedly outside of Kane's office. raven caught her eye and Clarke quirked a brow at the brown eye girl's tense expression. before she could reach them however, Kane popped his head out of the door and called out to Clarke.

"Agent Griffin, In my office, please"

The blonde nodded, making her way over to him, slightly perplexed by the odd looks her colleagues were sending her way. As Clarke stepped into Kane's office she felt her her heart stop and her feet freeze on the spot at the sight before her. Sitting in one of two chairs in front of Kane's desk was Lexa. The brunette's didn't turn around, but Clarke didn't need to see her face to know it was the brunette she had spent three months pining for.

"Agent Griffin, please, take a seat." Kane motioned to the vacant seat next to Lexa.

The blonde could feel her hands shaking, she swallowed hard, taking a deep shuddering breath before gingerly taking the seat beside Lexa. The brunette didn't turn to face her or make any acknowledgement of her presence, but of course was aware that Clarke was there. Clarke turned her head to wards Lexa slightly as Kane took his seat behind the desk, her eyes ran rapidly over the left side of the brunette's face that she could see. Lexa was more tanned than before, her face showing no signs of emotion, completely stoic, eyes trained on Kane. One thing Clarke noticed was the way the brunette held herself, tense, straight, rigid posture - such a contrast from her usually relaxed, loose and easy demeanour.

"Agent Griffin, Myself and Agent Volkov here have been discussing the ways in which to move forward now that Agent Volkov's leave of absence has come to an end. Due to the circumstances of what transpired between the two of you, I have offered Agent Volkov the opportunity to be reassigned a new partner…"

Clarke swallows hard at that, but of course it makes sense. Why would Lexa want to continue to work with a partner that shot her.

"…However, Agent Volkov has declined the offer and insists that she feels you can both move passed what happened and repair your professional relationship enough to continue with your work here at the Bureau, together. However, due to the circumstances, I can't just let two of my Agents - who clearly will have a lot of issues to work out - back out on the field together. Not only could that effect the work you both do on future cases, but it could also put not only yourselves, but also any other Agent's that work on cases with you at risk."

Clarke's mind is going a million miles a minute. Lexa still wants to work with her? This was unexpected. She places at Lexa again, but the brunette's face is still blank.

"I'm taking you both off field duty until further notice. You'll be on desk work together, you will train together, eat together, spend every moment at HQ together until I am satisfied that it is safe enough to put you back out into the field. There is no room for discussion. Are we clear?"

Clarke sees Lexa nod ever so slightly out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes, Sir".

It's the first time Clarke here's that voice that she has missed so much. It's only two words, but it makes the blonde's heart throb and her stomach flip.

Kane looks to her then and Clarke does the same.

"Yes, Sir, of course. Thank you."

Kane looks intently between the two women and then nods curtly.

"Very well, I will have a schedule written up for you both of your off-field duties. I will be watching you both closely. I expect you both to take this very seriously and I expect you to find a way to work together, to the best of your abilities. Make no mistake, if it appears that you cannot work together, I WILL assign you new partners. Leave now, your first stop is the physical training room, your dismissed."

Lexa shoots up from her chair and exits the room, followed closely by Clarke. This should be interesting.

They still haven't said a word to each other and Clarke is feeling terribly on edge. She doesn't know what to say, how to start. This morning had been a complete surprise and she doesn't think she's even had time to properly take in any of it.

Lexa is on the other side of the huge training rooms/gym and is currently pounding her feet into the rapidly moving belt on the treadmill she run on.

Clarke is currently trying her best to concentrate on her reps as she sits on the leg curl machine - but all she can focus on is watching the brunette across from her. Lexa has her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, wearing a dark blue tank top with tight black leggings.

 _I have to be brave. I have to make the first move, I'm the one who fucked this all up. I'm fucking terrified, but I have to be the first one to say something._

She waits for the brunette to finish her run on the treadmill and watching as she starts to make her way over to the barbell bench press. Clarke get's up and slowly walks over to the brunette as she sits down on the bench. She stops in front of her and awkwardly shifts on her feet before speaking.

"Um…." oh yeah, great start Clarke.

Lexa slowly brings her eyes up to look into Clarke's and the blonde is taken aback by the energy in those beautiful green eyes, although she should've expected it. Lexa's gaze is cold, hard and detached. The brunette just stares waiting for Clarke to continue.

"I-I…Look…Lexa…I…god, okay, sorry, I'm fucking up again already. really I don't know what to say or how to do this…" The blonde takes a shuddery breath before she continues, she notices Lexa's gaze flits down to her hands and she knows the brunette has noticed how much they are shaking.

"…I know I can never apologise enough for what I did. I'd try to make you understand how I was so easily mislead, but I don't even understand it myself. I don't know what happened, I just know that I was so consumed by the pain of thinking that you had used me, tricked me into….I-I'm so sorry. I had obviously let my insecurities I had about trusting you linger…a-a-and…god, I lost my fucking mind, I fucked up big time and I hurt you…God, of course I hurt you…I'm just so sorry Lexa, you mean so much to me and I can never undo what I did. but I'm going to try, try and make this worse, try and fix some parts of this as much as I can."

Clarke let's out a puff of air, completely flustered and frazzled by her terrible attempt at an apology. She's so nervous. Lexa just continues to stare at her, not once did her stoic expression change throughout Clarke's rambling. The brunette stands and continues to look into Clarke's eyes and then she finally speak, although her tone is still laced with a bitter chill.

"You're right, You should have trusted me. But you didn't, Clarke, you never did. I knew that, I knew you didn't completely trust me yet, but I thought we'd become close enough that if any doubts raised, you'd have at least given me the benefit of the doubt. You put a bullet in me, Clarke. You know what happened with Costia, I never thought you'd hurt me like this."

Clarke's heart squeezes like it's in a progressively tightening vice, with every word the brunette speaks. She right of course, but fuck it hurts.

"I-I know, I know that. I hate myself for it, but i never ever meant to shoot you, Lexa. Never. Not even with what I thought was true at the time. I-I-I just saw you lunge for Tris and my instincts were to protect her, a-and…it was reflex, it just happened so fast, I couldn't stop it. It haunts me all the time, I can't get it out of my head. And I've missed you so much…"

Lexa looks away at that last sentence. Something flashes across her face, but all too quickly she schooled her features.

"Look, Clarke. Regardless of whether you meant to, or not. It doesn't change the fact that it happened. And beyond that we're going to have to get back into a way that we can work together. You're still the best at what you do and I need you, your skills. There is still so much to do out there and whatever has happened between us, it doesn't change any of what we were aiming to achieve before. One good thing out of all of this is that I have my sister back. I am sure Emerson's plan was for me to see my sister as I died that night, but luckily, I'm a lot strong than he gives me credit for"

"You are strong, You're the strongest person I know." the blonde breathes out. But Lexa's face doesn't change, her eyes remain hard.

Both of their phone's beep, alerting them of a new email notification.

"Ah, our new schedules" Clarke says, then rolls her eyes at herself, because obviously Lexa knows that, she's staring at the same damn email. "Looks like we start first thing tomorrow."

"Yeah." The brunette says as she puts her phone back in her pocket and starts collecting her bag. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Okay…"

"Bye, Clarke."

"Bye, Lexa."

* * *

When Clarke has gotten back to her apartment, she was greeted by Octavia and Lincoln sitting at the kitchen counter. Lincoln had given her a gentle hug that Clarke seriously didn't feel worth of. She'd told them both about her day, her surprise at seeing Lexa, Kane's conditions and her conversation with Lexa.

"Lincoln, what was she like whilst you guys were gone?" the blonde asks, desperate to know about the three months without the brunette.

Lincoln purses this lips before answering.

"She was quiet. Were in Mexico, Lexa has a Villa there. She spent most of her days out on the beach with Tris, they were never apart from each other. I did talk to her about everything that had happened, I even relayed to her what Octavia had told me about your version of events…she would listen, but would say nothing about it in return."

The blonde felt tears, stinging behind her eyes.

"She's never going to forgive me." she croaked out.

Lincoln put his hand on the blonde's and offered her a small smile.

"It's going to take time, Clarke. She could've never come back, but she did. Regardless of everything she's been working towards, she could have just dropped it and moved on, even continued on her own. But she came back, I believe that means something. She's hurt, Clarke. And Lexa, she knows you, she knows you're a good person…and even the best people make mistakes."

Clarke scoffed. "This wasn't just any little mistake Linc, what I did…I betrayed her trust, I shot her, just like Costia did, I-"

But Lincoln cut her off "You are NOT Costia. Costia was bad news, I never liked her, never trusted her, you are nothing like her. You fucked up, badly, but I know how much you care for Lex and I know how much she cares for you. Give it time, give it a chance and just don't give up."

The blonde nodded with a sad smile. Lincoln is a wonderful man. She just wishes she could be as optimistic as he is.

Later Octavia and Lincoln left the apartment to go get some dinner together, clearly having missed each other in the time they'd spent apart. Clarke made herself some noodles and sat down on the couch, ready to switch of her loud thoughts and get into some mindless television. Easier said than done of course. Sleep didn't come easy that night, Lexa invading ever corner, every alcove, every hidden tunnel in her mind. Even though things were far, far from okay between them, she felt a little ease knowing that her favourite person in the world was back, that she would see her beautiful face again tomorrow, that she would try with everything she had.


	12. I Know

"JAB, RIGHT CROSS, LEFT HOOK, RIGHT CROSS!" Lexa calls out as she moves around on the gym mats, calling out combination drills to Clarke.

If the blonde didn't know any better, she'd think Lexa was purposely pushing her to her limits. Her arms ache and she can feel the sweat dripping down her back.

It'd been a few days since Clarke's cringe worthy apology and things were still very tense and awkward between the two women. It was very unsettling, this cold, aloof, quiet side of Lexa. It pained Clarke even more when she realised this new behaviour was only reserved for her, having witnessed the brunette being her usual bright self around their friends and colleagues. She knows she deserves it, to be singled out, but it still stings.

One thing that was really starting to irritate Clarke, was Lexa's budding friendship with Harper. Whenever Clarke would arrive at HQ in the morning, she'd find the brunette leant over the front desk, smiling and chatting with the pretty receptionist. And when they'd leave at the end of the day, Lexa would wordlessly pull back and make her way over to the front desk again, leaving Clarke to walk out by herself. She knows she has no right to be jealous, but that doesn't stop the twisting feeling in her gut, overtime she sees them together.

She's pulled out of her thoughts by Lexa suddenly stopping, dropping her padded hands to her sides and staring Clarke down, impatiently.

"You're not paying attention, get out of your head and focus."

"I am focused. Continue." the blonde replies, motioning for Lexa to raise her pads back up.

"No. Your energy is low, you're sluggish on your feet. Have you eaten today?"

Clarke glances at the clock on the wall, 12:45pm - ah, she'd skipped breakfast yet again and last night she'd collapsed into bed as soon as she got home.

"No." the blonde replies, eyes on the floor.

Lexa just sighs heavily, obviously annoyed.

"When was the last time you ate, Clarke?"

Clarke shrugs, sheepishly.

"I dunno, yesterday lunchtime I think. I was too tired last night to bother with making anything, so I just crashed."

The brunette frowns and starts to take off the pads.

"Well, lets go and grab something to eat, the last thing I need is you passing out. I've got plans later and I want to be on time."

"Right. Sorry." Clarke says as she starts to remove her gloves.

There is a knock on the Training room door and they both turn to see you it is. _Ugh, of course its Harper._

Clarke tries to hide the irritated bite to her voice as she greets the receptionist. "Hey, Harper, whats up?"

Harper gives the blonde a tight smile and then nods towards Lexa.

"Um…actually I was just here to see Lexa."

"oh, okay, well, carry on." Harper looks like she expects Clarke to leave, but the blonde is too stubborn - and currently being to childish and jealous - to do that, so she just turns around and pretends to organise things in her gym bag. Not at all eavesdropping of course.

Lexa walks over to Harper who is leaning in the doorway, she smiles at the girl in greeting.

Harper smiles widely back before starting again.

"So, I was just checking if we're still on for drinks tonight? I'm looking forward to hearing more about your crazy nights in Mexico. I still find myself laughing at the last story you told me, that red head you hooked up with the crazy food fetish. Oh my god, they made me laugh so much my stomach hurt."

Well that makes Clarke suddenly stop her pretend organising. _Ouch._ She should've known better than to think Lexa was just moping around whilst she was gone. It's not like they were ever officially together, Clarke never gave that a chance, what with shooting Lexa and all. _Fuck, don't get upset, you have no right to be upset._

"Yeah, sure!" she hears Lexa reply to Harper. "I could use a drink, too. Clarke and I were just about to head out for lunch, wanna join?"

"Actually…" Clarke speaks up, bag suddenly packed and flung over her shoulder. "…You guys can go on without me, I'm sure Kane won't damn us for missing one lunch together, I'm really tired, so I'm just gonna grab something from the cafeteria and hang out in the break room."

She sees Lexa open her mouth to respond, but she's already slipping past Harper and escaping before either of them notice the tears welling up in her eyes.

It was Saturday night and a week had passed since Clarke has rushed out of the training room. Lexa isn't blind, she could see the blonde was upset, but she's not about to feel guilty about having some fun whilst she was away, Clarke's the one who ruined what they had or what they could've had.

The brunette is currently sipping on a glass of wine in Octavia and Clarke's apartment, the blonde having chosen to go out for the night with Raven and Bellamy. Its 11pm and Lexa is starting to feel tiredness creep in, she's about to ask Lincoln for a ride home when the apartment door flies open, revealing a worried looking Bellamy holding a very drunk Clarke in his arms, followed by a slightly tipsy Raven.

"Whoa, what happened? I didn't expect you guys back until much later". Octavia says as she watches Bellamy gently place Clarke on the couch.

"Blondie decided to drink her weight in Vodka, had to call it an early night" Raven slurs as she stumbles over to the sink, filling a glass of water.

Lexa doesn't get up from her seat at the counter, but she can't help but feel concern over Clarke's current state.

"You need to wake her up, make her drink some water-"

She's suddenly cut off by Bellamy who comes stomping towards her, shoving his index finger in her direction.

"This is because of you! She's in this state because she can't deal with her guilt. You need to cut her a fucking break, Lexa."

The brunette gapes at him, clearly not expecting, nor appreciating him literally pointing the finger at her.

"How is this my fault? She's a grown woman. And excuse me if I find it hard to forgive someone who fucking shot me!"

"It was almost 4 months ago, Lexa! Look, I can't imagine how it must have felt-"

"She believed Emerson over me! She never gave me a chance to defend myself….she betrayed me! lured me to a fucking warehouse! Rather than confront me, or-or-or give me even the slightest benefit of the doubt, she just went ahead and accepted that I was everything he said I was. I won't feel bad about this, I refuse to-"

"Clarke knows all that Lexa, but she's destroying herself. She knows she fucked up, she knows she made one hell of a mistake, but you know she never meant to shoot you. God, she's devastated by it."

"I know that! But it doesn't change everything else that went down. I'm sorry but I can't just push my feelings aside like that, just so Clarke can feel better about herself." her chest is heaving, she really wasn't expecting to get into it with Bellamy tonight.

"I'm sorry. but if its any consolation, I hate myself" comes a tiny slurred voice from the couch. Clarke had obviously woken up amongst their raised voices.

Bellamy looks to Lexa at that, with a look that says _See?_

The brunette rolls her eyes, she huffs before slipping off her stool and moving to kneel before Clarke who's still lying on the couch.

"Come on, you need to drink some water and then go to bed. You're gonna have one hell of a hangover tomorrow." she slowly pulls on the blondes hands to bring her to her feet, she then puts one of Clarke's arms around her shoulders and walks the drunk girl to her room.

Lexa sits Clarke on her bed before walking into the bathroom to fill a glass with water. When she comes back into the bedroom, Clarke is curled up in a ball on her side, hugging her pillow. It pulls on Lexa's heart strings a bit to see the blonde looking so sad and small, but she isn't ready to being even close to forgiving her yet.

"Come on, Clarke, sit up, I need you to drink this, slowly please." she watches the other woman sit up after the 3rd try and watches as she does as she's told, before moving back to her previous position on the bed.

"I don't know how to make things better, Lexa. I meant what I said before, I hate myself. I'm a terrible person…and…I'm so sad and I feel bad for being sad…I don't deserve to be sad…I made you sad, really sad."

Clarke is speaking in drunken rambles, but it still bothers Lexa to hear the blonde say she hates herself. "That's a lot of 'sads'. You're very drunk right now, You need to sleep. But I don't want you to hate yourself, you're not a terrible person-"

"But, you hate me. It hurts so much, every day knowing that you hate me." Clarke is on the verge of tears and Lexa can feel her resolve weakening, she can't deny that seeing Clarke in this much emotional pain affects her.

She purses her lips, she can at least offer something…

"I don't hate you, Clarke. I'm really, really angry and really really fucking hurt, but… I don't hate you."

Clarke let's out a breath, tears escape her eyes, flowing down her pale cheeks and she reaches out for Lexa's hand, grasping it tightly. Lexa let's her.

"I'm so sorry." the blonde croaks out, sniffling through her tears.

Lexa looks up to the ceiling, trying to compose her own emotions after seeing Clarke's tears and the feeling her hand in hers.

"I know." she whispers back.

After leaving Clarke to sleep, Lexa said goodbye to her friends and headed back to her apartment.

She lies awake in bed thinking over everything that was said that night. It was hard for her to see Clarke so broken, but it's also so hard to just let things go. She runs her fingers over the healing scar on her stomach and tries to blink away the memories that fill her mind.

She hopes, in time, that her and Clarke can move forward. If they want to continue their work, she's going to have to ease up to prove to Kane that they can still work together. She just wishes she knew a way in which they could just fast forward, through all the shit and come out the other as friends again, at least. It seems impossible.

One things she knows for sure, something that truly surprised her this evening is, despite everything that has happened, all the anger, all the betrayal, all the pain…she still cares an awful lot about Clarke.


	13. Don't Move

Lexa tries to keep up with the conversation, she really does, zoning in and out of whatever it is that Raven and Harper are animatedly talking about, but she can't seem to stop her eyes from seeking out a certain blonde every 5 minutes.

It's the end of the week and they are all currently at Lexa and Lincoln's apartment, it's the first time they've hosted any sort of gathering there, having not done it before as Lexa has never been keen on the idea of a bunch of people in her personal space. She likes this bunch though, she trusts them enough to at least be okay with a beer and games night.

Lexa is currently standing in the kitchen with Raven and Harper, who are still engaged in some TV show discussion…Game Of Thrones, maybe? She's sure she heard Raven ranting about how Sansa seems to be finally 'growing a pair' and 'giving that Ramsey prick what he deserves'.

Jasper, Monty and Octavia are sat around the dining table, watching something that must be hilarious, if Octavia's cackles are anything to go by.

Lincoln and Bellamy are sat on the floor in front of the Flatscreen TV playing video games…and Clarke, well Clarke is sat beside them on one of the black leather couches, looking deep in thought whilst fiddling with the label on her bottle of beer. The blonde looks so sad, withdrawn and the dark circles under her eyes tell Lexa that she's not sleeping well. Clarke looks so small, she's obviously racked with guilt and she's suffering. Lexa can't stand it. She's not ready to completely forgive Clarke, but they can't go on like this and no matter what has happened between them, no matter how much it hurts still, she still cares so much for Clarke and she won't let her continue to punish herself.

Lexa excuses herself from Raven and Harper and walks towards her study, she catches Clarke's eye on the way and motions with a jerk of her head for her to follow. She sees confusion in Clarke's eyes, but is thankful she seems to get the message as she places her beer bottle on the coffee table and makes to follow her.

One they are in the study, Lexa closes the door behind them, to make sure they have some privacy. When she turns back to Clarke, the blonde is standing in the middle of the room, fiddling nervously with the sleeves of her shirt. The blonde's head is down and sad blue eyes look up in question.

"Lexa? Is everything okay?"

Lexa wordlessly steps forward, watching as those blue eyes go wide, as she opens her arms and wraps them around Clarke's startled figure. She places her left hand on the back of the blonde's head and bring her face to lie in the crook of her neck as she tightens her other arm around Clarke's waist. She hears the blonde breath hitch and then hears her release a choked sob. Clarke immediately melts into the embrace, arms coming up to wrap just as tightly around Lexa's neck. They both close their eyes in relief at feeling the other so close again. Lexa uses her left hand that is still on the back of the blonde's head to start running her fingers through the other woman's hair as she speaks. "I'm not going to say that everything is suddenly okay and all is forgiven, but we can start from here, start to repair all of this, repair _US_. We can't continue on like we have been, and I can't bear to see you punish yourself any longer, Clarke. It won't be easy, but I'm ready, I'm ready to start…I don't hate you, okay? If I'm honest, I don't think I could ever hate you. But it's going to take time for us to get back to a place where either of us can look at each other without thinking about what happened. But I absolutely want to try, okay?" she feels Clarke nod against her neck and then feels her hot breath as she sighs, sending pleasant shivers down her back. They stand there for a long time, just holding onto each other and enjoying the moment of being in each others arms. After a lot of reassuring squeezes and silent tears, they breaks apart, Lexa drops a soft kiss to Clarke's forehead as they pull away and the blonde cautiously takes Lexa's hand, bringing it to her lips and kissing her knuckles gently before whispering "Thank you". The brunette gives her a small smile and receives a small, yet sad smile in return.

"Hey…" the brunette says quietly "How about I sneak back out into the kitchen, grab a few more beers and we can sit in here and play catchup?"

Clarke looks taken aback, not quite believing that Lexa wants to spend time alone with her. "R-really? y-you sure?"

"I'm sure, first steps, right?"

Clarke nods, giving Lexa another small smile, one that has less sadness in it than the one before.

When Lexa get's back with the beers, they both sit on the small couch in the corner of the room, muffled music coming in from the other room. They talk a bit about Lexa's time away and Clarke fills her in on her suspension and some of the small cases herself and Bellamy worked while the brunette was gone. It's still slightly awkward, especially talking about their time apart. But it's a start and they are both overwhelmingly grateful for that.

It'd been a couple weeks since Clarke and Lexa had spent the rest of the evening catching up in Lexa's study. Although she still feels the sickening twist of guilt in her gut, Clarke does in fact feel somewhat lighter after Lexa's words…and that dreamy fucking hug. That was bliss.

Clarke can't let her mind wander to how good that felt right now though, Herself and Lexa are currently in pursuit of a suspect they believe has information on the whereabouts of a wanted Bomb Terrorist. They're in the stairwell of a block of grimy apartments in Downtown Polis, Lexa is a flight of stairs ahead of her as they run the steps trying to keep up. Clarke watches as the brunette busts through the door leading to the 9th floor, she follows a couple seconds later.

Looking down the hallway, Clarke sees Lexa take out her gun and kick open a door about eleven doors down. The blonde take out her gun and runs to follow, she stops as she reaches the doorway, gun drawn as she shoulders the corner in front. It's quiet in the apartment, Clothing and empty takeout boxes strewn across the floors, she slowly creeps along the walls leading to another hallway, eyes darting about for her partner or the suspect. Suddenly she hears Lexa shouting and the sound of something falling to the wooden floors, she quickens her steps down the hallway to another door. Clarke takes a breath before kicking open the door in front of her and keeping her gun drawn whilst sweeping the room. No Lexa, No Suspect. She backs out of the room and heads towards the next door. She takes slow, light steps, straining her ears to hear for any movement coming from the rooms ahead. She suddenly feels a tap on her should, making her jump, she whirls around, gun still drawn and comes face to face with her partner. Clarke sighs in relief, but quickly panics when she realises she's got her gun aimed at Lexa. She quickly drops it to her side and swallows hard at the awkwardness of this moment. Lexa looks alarmed for a few seconds, before shaking her head slightly and moving closer to Clarke.

"This apartment is a fucking maze, the rooms join to others via shared doors, The windows are boarded up though, so he's still in here somewhere." she whispers, nodding forward for Clarke to continue into the room she was about to enter.

They stop before the door and Clarke looks back to Lexa who is only a step away. Lexa holds up her hand and starts to silently count to three with her fingers. Clarke nods on three and kicks open the door. They see the suspect's feet disappearing out of a window that has the boarding hanging off the bottom, obviously being ripped off the window in the suspects urgency to escape. Clarke goes to chase, but as she takes her first step into the room she hears a loud 'click' beneath her left foot. She freezes immediately, at the same time Lexa yells "Stop!".

As Clarke looks down to her foot she sees that she's stepped onto some kind of switch that's held down with metallic tape. There are wires running out of the top of the switch, her gaze follows their path to the corner of the room and her heart stops at the sight before her.

Lexa's eyes go wide as she sees the bomb in the corner of the room, the same bomb that is attached to the switch that Clarke has just stepped on.

her heart jumps into her throat as she realises the severity of the situation they are now in.

"Clarke, don't move."


	14. Just Hold On

"They're sending in Bomb Squad. Raven's heading it, they'll be here soon." Lexa had just called in to HQ, explaining exactly what situation they were in, more so what situation Clarke was in. The brunette is currently standing just to the right side of Clarke, leaning carefully against the wall after making sure no more hidden switches or wires were in the way.

"Okay, I hope they get here soon, I'm not exactly in the best position, I mean, obviously nothing about this position is great, but I can already feel my leg burning from having to keep my weight on it." Lexa could hear the shakiness in the blonde's voice, she's afraid, obviously.

"It's going to be okay, Clarke. We're gonna get you out of this. You just have to hold on a little while longer. Raven will work her magic and she'll disarm this thing in no time."

"Lex, I need you to go when they get here, I-"

"Absolutely not. I'm not going anywhere." Lexa states firmly, cutting the blonde off.

"Lexa, _please_. I can't risk it, I can't risk you being here incase this thing goes off." Clarke is looking at her with desperately pleading eyes, but Lexa isn't backing down.

"No, Clarke. I'm not leaving you. I'm staying until Raven gets you out and we're going to walk back out of this building together. And then we're going to go to a bar and we're gonna drink lots of alcohol after having such a shitty day."

Clarke laughs slightly, but it comes out as half a whimper. Lexa can see the beads of sweat forming on her partners forehead, she's pale from the shock and her hands are shaking.

"Lex…If they can't get me out-"

"Don't say that…" The brunette rushes to cut her off. "…They're gonna get you out. Just-Just hold on, you're doing great, just hold on and-"

They're interrupted by the sound of several footsteps coming down the hallway outside the room. Raven appears, stepping gingerly into the room whilst her eyes dart from Clarke to Lexa, back to Clarke and down her body to her feet, the switch, the wires and the bomb.

"Hey Blondie, got yourself in quite the pickle here, huh?" the agent says as she carefully places her backpack on the floor, pulling out various tools.

"Yeah, you could say that Rae, I'm hoping you can work your special skills and help me out." Lexa can tell Clarke is trying to keep her tone light, but she can hear the strain.

"I'm going to do everything I can, I'm going to take a look at the bomb and then i'm going to kneel by your feet and try and get a good look at the switch. I need you to summon all your energy and strength and keep all your weight on that switch, okay?" Lexa can see the that Raven is trying to keep her face void of emotion, but she can see the concern she has for her friend in her eyes.

Clarke nods ever so slightly and Raven starts to inspect everything she had laid out to Clarke. Lexa can see Clarke's legs are shaking ever so slightly and she takes a step forward to give the blonde her hand to hold onto. The blonde takes the offered hand, carefully. Not wanting to move an inch, but grateful for the gesture.

Minutes must have passed before Raven let's out a frustrated growl. She stands, running her hand through her hair.

"FUCK"

Both Lexa and Clarke's eyes shoot over to Raven as she walks towards the doorway, whispering something to the rest of her squad who were currently evacuating the building. She walks back into the centre of the room and turns to look at them both a desperate look in her eyes.

"I…Clarke, _FUCK_. I'm sorry, I can't stop it, I can't disable it. I've never seen anything wired like this before. The only thing I can do is interrupt the signal between the switch and the bomb. It won't be a long interruption though, It'll stall for anywhere between 20 seconds to a few minutes. You'll have to make a run for it as soon as your foot leaves that switch." Raven is clearly frustrated and the distress at not being able to help her friend comes off of her in waves.

Lexa feels like she's going to throw up, violently. The chances of Clarke making it out in time before the bomb goes off are slim. Her heart is battering against her ribs at the thought of losing the blonde, whose hand has gripped her ever more tightly as Raven speaks. Before Lexa can offer any words, Clarke speaks up.

"Raven, it's okay. It's alright, if that's the only option we have, then that's what we'll do. Just set it up, tell me what to do and then get everyone out."

Clarke's voice is low and sure and Lexa is taken aback by the sudden change.

Raven nods sadly and then begins speaking into her radio, relaying what's going to happen to everyone outside.

Lexa feels Clarke squeeze her hand and she turns to her, looking into terrified, yet sure blue eyes, those beautiful blue eyes.

"That means you too, you have to go."

Lexa is horrified by the suggestion, there is no way in hell that she's leaving her partner.

"No! I'm not leaving you, I'm staying here with you, we're going to do this together." She watches as Clarke tightens her jaw and looks to Raven, they share a look and Raven nods to Clarke. Raven calls out to a few of the agent's from the Bomb Squad outside the door, three come in waiting for further instructions. Clarke suddenly drops Lexa's hand and looks away, Lexa only has a second to frown in confusion before she hears Raven speak again…

"Escort Agent Volkov out of the building and into the safety zone. Use force if needs be, I'm sure you'll have to." She says sadly, not being able to look at Lexa either.

Lexa retaliates instantly, trying to shrug out of the arms that grip her own.

"NO!" she shouts "NO! Clarke!…Clarke! No! Let me go!…Clarke! Let me stay with you! Clarke, please!" tears are running down her face as she's forcibly dragged out of the room, Clarke never meets her eyes. She struggles all the way out of the building, sheer terror taking over he body as she continues to struggle. She looks up at the building, all she can do now is wait.

Hearing Lexa scream out for her rips through her chest, but she can't have her here. She can't risk Lexa losing her life for her. Raven wastes no time in explaining to Clarke that all she has to do is literally step off the switch and run as fast as she can when it's time. Her friend kisses her cheek and squeezes her hand before she leaves the room.

So Clarke waits. She waits the full 10 minutes for Raven to exit the building. She waits a few more minutes, just to be sure. She thinks of Lexa. _This must be Karma_. she thinks. Clarke closes her eyes and thinks of long, thick wavy brown hair. She thinks of cocky smirks and smug laughs. She thinks of lop-sided smiles and not so subtle glances. She thinks of green eyes, beautiful, deep, incomparable green eyes. Her legs are shaking violently and her heart is racing, she can hear the pumping loud and hot in her head. She tries to slow her rapid breaths, she's got to step off this fucking thing now.

 ** _'CLICK'_**

The release of the switch as she steps of it the only sound in the building. She turns quickly and bolts out of the room, her legs falter slightly in their weakened state, but she pushes forward, running for her life…..literally. She slips as she rounds the corner to the apartment door and scrambles to her feet. She's out the door and running down the hallway…until she's not. She's not running anymore she's flying through the air as the bomb explodes behind her. She feels her body hit the wall and then it's lights out.

Raven had gone against Bureau rules and had called Octavia and Lincoln to let them know what was happening. They had raced to the scene and were now waiting anxiously along with Raven, Bellamy and Lexa.

A crowd had gathered and there's a chorus of gasps and screams as the explosion rips through the 9th floor. Glass flies through the air, littering the ground in front of them. Lexa bolts forward, but she's held back by Lincoln, Bellamy and Raven. She yells at them to let her go, but they don't release their grip. She's wild with worry, she just wants to find Clarke. _Oh my god, what is she's….NO! don't think like that._

The wait as the Bomb Squad enter the building is excruciating. A fire crew follows and Lexa feels like she can't breathe fully, her chest is in a vice and her head is pounding. Her eyes flit wildly over the crew who are stepping out of the main entrance. Then she sees her. A fireman is carrying Clarke's limp body in his arms. And then Lexa feels the grip on her loosen and she's running, she's under the barrier tape and running towards Clarke as they place her on a waiting gurney. When she reaches Clarke, they're already attaching an oxygen mask to her face and placing her head in a neck brace. She follows them to the waiting ambulance and screams that she's her partner to a paramedic who dared to question her presence.

She jumps in the back of the ambulance and sits to the side as the paramedics work on her partner. Her Clarke. _My Clarke._

When they arrive into A&E, Lexa was ushered to a private waiting room whilst Clarke was taken care of. 15 minutes later she was joined by Raven, Octavia, Lincoln and Bellamy. Octavia immediately pulled her into a hug as Lincoln rubbed her back.

It's an hour before a doctor comes to speak with them. Clarke is still unconscious, she has a nasty concussion, she's covered in cuts and bruises, a particularly nasty cut on her right leg from flying debris. And she also has a broken right elbow. She got away from the worst of the blast just in time, she's extremely lucky. They're all in tears with relief. All sharing hugs in celebration that their girl is okay.

Lexa cries when she enters Clarke's room, she places kisses from her forehead, to her nose and her cheeks.

Clarke still hasn't woken up by the next day. Octavia and Raven sit with Clarke, whilst Lexa buys a ridiculous amount of "Get Well Soon" balloons from the gift shop and attaches them all around her room under the amused gazes of Raven and Octavia.

Lexa doesn't leave Clarke's side. Lincoln brings her a change of clothes and some sandwiches from the cafeteria, she hugs him tightly in thanks.

Clarke wakes at 3am two days later. Lexa holds the cup to her lips as Clarke takes large, thirsty gulps.

The doctors fill Clarke in on her condition and tell her she should be able to go home in another day.

The doctors leave and Clarke grabs Lexa's hand, entwining their fingers. Lexa uses her free hand to stroke Clarke's hair as she looks into her favourite blue eyes.

Lexa wordlessly leans forward, resting her forehead against Clarke's. She leaves a chaste, gentle kiss upon the blonde's soft lips as she whispers….

"I forgive you."

And after almost losing her, she means it.


	15. Igloos & Planks

"Okay…yeah…That's…I think this is good…Lex, That's more….Lexa, I think that's more than enough pillows." Clarke has been discharged from Hospital about an hour ago. Lexa had insisted on driving her home and was currently building, what can only be described as an Igloo made of pillows around Clarke.

"Okay, sorry, I just want you to be comfortable, are you sure you're fine here on the couch? Surely the bed would be more comfortable? You must be really tired still and the doctors said you need as much rest as poss-"

"Lex!…" Clarke reaches for the brunettes hand and squeezes gently. "…I'm good here, and if I want to go to bed, I have two working legs, I am perfectly capable of getting myself to my bed if I need to" she smiles, amused by her partners fussing.

"Right…Where is Octavia anyway?…OCTAVIAAAA!" Clarke winces as Lexa shouts out for her roommate.

She hears her roommates door swing open and Octavia comes running down the hallway.

"Oh my god, Lexa, what?" Octavia yells whilst scowling at the brunette.

"I have to go to work in a bit and I need to make sure you are going to be here to help Clarke

"Well, as you can see, I am here. I've got tons of studying to do and I'm on break, so me and Clarkey can hang out all day."

That seems to satisfy Lexa. She then kneels down in front of Clarke and gives her a concerned look.

"You sure you're going to be okay? I'll be right over after I finish work."

The blonde smiles ay her doting brunette.

"Yes, Lexa, I'll be fine. Now go and catch the asshole that did this to me, give him a swift kick in the ribs from me too."

"I plan on it." the brunette replies, very seriously. She leans over and kisses Clarke's cheek and leaves.

"She's just worried about you, she was a mess when that bomb went off, it took all of us to hold her back, girl was like a wild animal." Octavia says as she plops herself down next to Clarke.

The blonde grimaces at the thought of Lexa so frantic with worry.

"I know. It's actually very cute. You know she said she forgives me…"

"Really? That's great, Clarkey!"

Clarke's mouth twists "Yeah, it is. I'm just not so sure I deserve it though-"

"Hey! None of that, don't go ruining things just because of the circumstances. Hell, if anything would make you wanna forgive someone, it would be the fact of almost losing them. Lexa wouldn't have said that if she hadn't meant it."

Clarke smiles at that, she trusts Lexa, so if her partner says she means it, then she believes her. "You're right."

They'd gotten a tip-off that a guy fitting the bombers description was sighted down at the Fish Markets near the docks.

Lexa, Bellamy and Raven were currently walking separately through the markets in plain clothes, trying to spot their suspect. Lexa's starting to get frustrated with the amount of people in her way, when she hears Raven's voice in her ear piece.

"I've got eyes on our suspect, East entrance, dark blue sweater and black jeans."

Lexa spots him right away and starts to quickly manoeuvre her way through the crowds. Just as she is in reach, he turns around and recognises her, he takes off running. _Fuck_. She gives chase and speaks into the mic on her jacket sleeve as she goes.

"He spotted me, he's taken off running towards the docks. I'm just behind him. Blake, there's a wall of containers along the docks, but there's an opening about halfway through, run around and block that exit. Raven, you catch up and cover me."

She's putting all her energy into catching up with the suspect, just closing in enough to reach out, when he suddenly takes a sharp corner into a cluster of smaller containers. _Bastard_. He rounds another container and Lexa comes to a stop when she loses sight of him. Lexa runs down the centre of the maze of containers, head whipping from side to in hopes of spotting their suspect.

It's only when she reaches the end that she's suddenly reeling back from a hit to the face. The brunette looks up to see their suspect edging towards her with a plank of wood in his hands. Her hand goes to her face and she realises her nose is bleeding. He swings at her again, but she's quick to jump away. Lexa grabs the other end of the plank with both hands and thrusts it forward into the suspects stomach. As he stumbles backwards, winded, she lunges forward smacking him across the head with the plank. He falls to the ground dazed…

"Oh, before I forget, this is from my partner, the one you tried to blow up."

And she swiftly kicks him once in the ribs. It may have been twice.

As she's kneeling over their suspect, cuffing his hands roughly behind his back, Raven comes running towards them.

"Dude, your face is messed up."

"Yeah, this piece of shit managed to get me with that plank of wood over there". Raven grimaces at the thought.

"Well, good job, anyway. Lets take him in and then you need to go get that face checked out, you know Blondie is gonna have a fit." the other agent says with a knowing smirk.

Lexa groans. "Yeah, yeah. Help me get him to the car."

After visiting the hospital to get her face patched up, Lexa heads over to Clarke and Octavia's apartment. She'd come away with a black eye, a cut to the cheek which now has a few stitches and a bruised nose…she's just thankful is wasn't broken. If anything she's just please they now have that asshole in custody.

She steps into the apartment to finds it quiet. So she calls out as she takes off her leather jacket.

"Hello? Anybody here?"

Octavia comes down the hallway and into the kitchen, but comes to an abrupt halt when she sees Lexa.

"Holy shit! What the hell happened to your face?"

Before Lexa can answer, Clarke's bedroom door swings open, followed by hurried feet padding along the wooden floor.

"What's wrong with her face?"

"Hey! hey!" Lexa calls as she rushes towards the blonde "Don't run, you'll tear the stitches in your leg"

Clarke just scoffs "Forget that! Look at you! What happened?"

The brunette sighs as she pushes Clarke into one of the stools around the kitchen counter.

"I'm fine, I just got hit in the face with a plank of wood. Good news is, we caught the bomber. He's currently in custody, and….I may have kicked the bastard in the ribs a couple times whilst he was down." the brunette finishes with a wink aimed at Clarke.

"Yaaasss bitch" Octavia calls out as she passes by Lexa, high giving her as she goes.

Clarke reaches out and tugs on the hem of Lexa's shirt, pulling her a fraction closer.

"Well, of course I am happy to hear that. And thank you. I'm just sorry you got hurt in the process." she's honestly pouting and it makes Lexa roll her eyes, even though she finds it absolutely adorable.

"I'm fine, Clarke. And you know as well as I do, that we get injured all the time in this line of work."

The blonde just huffs in response. they stay in that position for several minutes, just looking into each others eyes, content. That is until Octavia speaks up again.

"Okay, I'm going to go over and hang out with Linc, now that Lexa is here. Also, I hear verbal communication is just as good, if not better than silently staring at each other." she laughs as Clarke and Lexa both blush and clear their throats, now looking anywhere but at each other.

"I'll see you guys later." And with that she's out the door, still laughing as she goes.

Lexa had ordered Chinese food to be delivered, whilst Clarke got comfy in her pillow Igloo once again. Although, not before she was scolded by Lexa for forgetting to take her painkillers on time, and she was now curled up in her Igloo groaning at the pain in her elbow ,waiting for the pills to kick in.

Lexa sat down beside and gently wraps her hands around Clarke's ankles, pulling her legs to rest on her lap.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to give you a foot rub, it'll hopefully take your mind off the pain in your elbow until the pain killers kick in." Lexa replies as she begins to kneed her thumbs into the ball of the blonde's right foot.

Clarke let's out a small moan at the dreamy feeling and instantly blushes bright red, causing Lexa to chuckle.

"It's okay, its supposed to feel good. Just relax." Clarke can see the small smirk on her face, but she lets it go and just concentrates on the delicious massage she's getting.

Their food arrives a while later and they eat in comfortable silence whilst watching some old 'Will & Grace' re-runs at Clarke's request. After the 5th episode, Clarke pauses the TV and turns towards Lexa as the brunette looks at her expectantly. Clarke is a little nervous, but she needs to ask Lexa where they are to go from here, after what the brunette said at the hospital, her mind can't stop thinking about whether they are back on the road to friend, or more. She clears her throat before she speaks.

"So, I wanted to talk to you about…well, after you said you forgive me…I've just been wondering where we go from here?"

Lexa can hear the nerves in Clarke's voice, so she takes the blonde's hand that is currently fiddling with the remote and holds it in her own.

"Okay, well, what do you want to happen?"

If Clarke is honest, she was hoping for a little bit more than that, she's uncomfortable with voicing her hopes whilst having no idea what Lexa is thinking.

"Well, Obviously I want to move forward, I'm just…wondering in what way? like…are we moving forward as friends? or…like before everything?"

"You mean, more than friends? like dating?"

"Yeah…"

She watches nervously as Lexa's eyes soften and that kind, lop-sided smile appears on her lips.

"I like to think it's obvious that there is more between us than just a friendship. Although, my greatest concern is trust. If you don't trust me-"

"I do trust you!…I do, I mean that. I trust you, Lexa. With my life." The blonde didn't mean to cut her off so abruptly, but she needed to get that out before Lexa said anything else.

Lexa looks into her eyes, searching and after a few seconds, she seems happy with what she was looking for.

"Good. That makes me incredibly happy to know, and I trust you too. Regardless of everything negative that has happened between us, one thing that I don't think has ever changed is my feelings for you. Whilst I was gone, I was incredibly angry, incredibly hurt…but I still missed you. It was such a mess of emotions. But when I saw you again, I could tell you were suffering with your own guilt, your own pain…but I was still too angry, even if it did bother me to see you that way. When you were up in that building…Clarke it was horrendous to be dragged away from you like that, you were so, so brave. I didn't know if you were going to come out of there alive and it was terrifying. All I could think about was getting to you and telling you that we will be okay and that I had forgiven you. The thought of you dying in there…the thought of you thinking that I hated you, it was excruciating." Lexa's voice had gotten shaky and her eyes were misty, Clarke was quick to comfort her.

"Hey" she says, scooting closer to the other woman. "I'm here, I'm safe, you're here, you're safe. We're here, now. Don't think about what could have happened."

"I'd like to try moving forward, as more than friends. If that's what you would like too."

Clarke's face morphs into a beaming smile as she looks into misty, green eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I would like that too." And then Lexa's smile is mirroring hers.

They giggle at their cheesy grins, feeling bashful and giddy.

They return to their binge of 'Will & Grace' and Lexa decides to test the waters by putting her arm around Clarke's shoulders, pulling her closer.

It's eagerly accepted.


	16. Stuck

"Hey, Clarke, if you wanna stop for coffee on the way to HQ, you're gonna have to get a move on." It was two weeks since they had their talk and Lexa was sitting patiently on the couch at Clarke and Octavia's apartment. It was Clarke's first day back at the Bureau, she was only on desk duty, as her elbow still had a few weeks to go until it was healed, but it was better than continuing to stay at home, bored out of her mind.

"Lex?" the brunette heard her partners muffled voice, calling out to her from behind her bedroom door.

"Yeah, Clarke?"

"Lexa, I'm kinda stuck."

Lexa got up from the couch and made her way to Clarke's bedroom door, brow furrowed, wondering how Clarke could be stuck in her bedroom.

"What do you mean? How are you stuck? Can I come in?"

"Ugh. Before you come in, can you just, not laugh at me? This is going to be a very embarrassing experience for me."

Lexa raises her eyebrows, confused as to what could possibly be waiting her. "Okay, I won't laugh. I'm going to come in now."

The brunette opens the door and is not at all prepared for what she sees.

Clarke is standing in the middle of the room, black slacks on, boots…her shirt however is currently wrapped around her head. One arm is through, yet she's obviously had trouble getting her injured arm through the other whole and the rest of the shirt is wrapped around the blonde's head.

What Lexa can't seem to drag her gaze away from though, is the unexpected view of Clarke's bare torso. From her very sexy toned stomach, to her heaving, bra clad chest. WOW.

"Lexa?"

She tears her eyes away from her ogling of the blondes body. _BAD LEXA, BAD_. And quickly clears her throat, hoping it isn't dripping with desire.

"Uh, yeah. Okay, Listen, I'm going to have to take your shirt right off again, and then I'll help you put it on right, okay?" she colds herself as she fails and her voice comes out thick as hell. Calm down you horny bitch.

"Alright…yeah. Go Ahead."

Lexa steps forward and gently pulls the shirt over Clarke's stuck elbow, then over her head and off of her other arm. When she's got the shirt off, she finally sees the blondes face and it's _ADORABLE_. Her face is so red from blushing, Clarke can't even look in Lexa's eyes.

"Hey…" Lexa tilts her head to get her partner to look at her. "Don't be embarrassed, its just me. And I will never tell anyone about your little tangled mishap. And believe me, you have nothing to be embarrassed about." Clarke's eyes snap to her then and Lexa's surprised by the intensity of her gaze.

"I have other bras, obviously. This isn't my best one, I just chucked it on. I wasn't expecting anyone to see it." the blonde rushes out.

Of course, at the mention of the bra, Lexa's eyes drop down to Clarke's chest. It's a light purple bra with lot's of little white stars all over it. Her eyes run over it and suddenly they're staring at the blonde's cleavage instead of the bra. _DAMN_. She realises she's been staring too long when Clarke suddenly clears her throat. Lexa's eyes jump back up to Clarke's, cheeks blushing pink when she sees the smirk on the blonde's lips.

"You gonna help me put my shirt on?"

"Uh, Yeah, right. Sorry." Lexa carefully rolls up the sleeve of the shirt and gently drags is over Clarke's injured arm, then she brings the neck hole over her head and Clarke manages to freely put her other arm through the next arm hole. Lexa steps back as the blonde pulls her shirt down over her chest and stomach. Keeping her eyes on Lexa's the whole time.

"Thank you." The way Clarke is looking at her is making Lexa's skin tingle.

"Mhmm. So, you ready to go?"

Clarke is positively buzzing. At first she was embarrassed that Lexa had to help her out of her shirt tangling predicament, but when she'd seen the way the brunette's eyes had darkened whilst looking at her body, she was suddenly feeling rather smug. It filled her with confidence, they hadn't even properly kissed yet and Clarke was aching for that to happen. It really was torture, going slow, being patient, when Lexa had lips like THAT.

Lexa is driving Clarke home after a rather frustrating day back at the Bureau. Raven and Bellamy still couldn't get the Bomber to talk, he seemed fiercely loyal to whoever he was working for. They needed to find something to use against him, something that'd make him crack.

"So, I'm going to be gone this weekend. I'm getting a red eye tonight and I'll be back late Sunday night." Clarke looks over at Lexa as she's speaking, she wants to ask where the brunette is going, but she's worried how Lexa might take it after all their past trust issues.

"Okay."

Lexa quickly glances at her, one eyebrow raised in question, then put her eyes back on the road.

"Clarke, you can ask me where i'm going. I know you're probably curious. Having trust in each other doesn't mean we can't ask questions."

Clarke smiles sheepishly, she does want to know.

"Alright then, so where are you going?"

"I'm going to check on Tris…" Clarke's eyes widen, they haven't talked about Tris at all and she hadn't thought it was her place to ask. "…Before I cam back I left Tris with a friend of mine, somewhere safe. I didn't want her coming back here yet, not with Emerson still out there somewhere. Even though I am keeping her safe, I still feel bad for leaving her after only a few months of being reunited."

Clarke just nods, she's not entirely sure what to say. She doesn't know much of anything about Lexa's sister and decides that Lexa will tell her when or if she wants to.

Lexa reaches out and puts her hand on Clarke's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze, whilst she uses the other to keep steering.

"You know I trust you, right? I promise at some point we will talk about Tris…about my past… and more. There are just some things I don't need you to know right now. I don't want you to know things that could put you in any more danger. And I really need you to trust me on that."

"I do trust you, and I understand…but if there is anything I should know, that could help you at some point, even though you think it could put me at a slight risk…please, tell me."

The brunette seems confused by the request, but she nods and Clarke thinks she gets it.

"Can I at least ask if Tris is okay? I mean, is she doing well?"

She watches as Lexa purses her lips, hands adjusting their grip on the steering wheel.

"She's…doing better. Tris has been through a lot, she's…had some horrible experiences and it's going to take her a longtime to feel safe again. But, my friend has told me that she is making progress…she's talking a bit more and I'm hoping when I get up there, that she will open up to me a bit more than she did whilst we were away. There wasn't an awful lot of talking then, just…sort of…being."

Clarke can see the obvious stress written across the brunette's beautiful features, the pain at whatever Tris is going through…and something else she can't quite identify.

When Lexa lands in TonDC, she quickly makes her way through the airport arrivals and jumps into the first Taxi she sees. Driving through this city brings back a plethora of memories. Some good, some great, some horrible, some horrific.

She exits the cab when it reaches her destination and grabs her backpack, pays the cab driver and walks up the path to the familiar house.

Before she even gets to knock on the door, it swings open to reveal one of her oldest, most trusted friends. She steps up to the door and is instantly pulled in to a warm, firm embrace.

"Hello, Indra."

Indra steps back, holding onto Lexa's shoulders, looking over her face with nothing but a motherly sort of affection.

"Hello, Child. I've missed you. Come in, come in, let me take your bag. Tris is upstairs in her room." Indra motions for her to go up the stairs towards her sister. "I'll make us something to eat."

"Okay, thank you, Indra."

Lexa knocks on the bedroom door twice, she hears the faintest 'come in'. As she opens the door, Tris stands up from where she was sitting on her bed and slowly walks towards her older sister, wrapping her arms around Lexa's waist a burrowing her head into her hair. Lexa squeezes her little sister back tightly. She'd missed this.

When Lexa pulls back to get a good look at Tris' face, she inwardly sighs. Tris looks comfortable, dressed in an oversized dark blue hoodie, blue jeans and fluffy white socks. Her hair is just like Lexa's, if not a shade lighter, her hazel eyes are still slightly dulled though - missing that energetic sparkle they used to hold, but they aren't as withdrawn as before. Lexa smiles warmly at her sister as she runs her fingers through her wavy hair, she get's the tiniest smile back. She'll take it.

Octavia is saying goodbye to Lincoln for the night, in the doorway of their apartment and Clarke is trying her best not to comment on the way that Octavia practically eats the poor guys face. Although, he seems to be enjoying it.

As her room mate shuts the door and plops herself down on the couch next to her, Clarke gives her a pointed look.

"Oh hush, Clarkey. Your just jealous that I get to make-out with Linc anytime I choose, and yet you a Lexa haven't even properly kissed yet."

Clarke huffs at that, because she can't argue the truth of it.

"Low blow" she says as she crosses her arms and pouts.

"True. Sorry. Why don't you just make the first move? Get things rolling."

"It's not as easy as that, plus I'm nervous that its too soon for her. We haven't even been on a date yet, either."

Octavia shrugs "So, ask her on a date."

"I could, but I don't really want to go out. My elbow is still in this cast and sling and I can't wear anything nice whilst I still have it. Everything either looks bulky or too awkward and uncomfortable."

Octavia rolls her eyes before suggesting "For goodness sake, Clarke. Just have a date here, let me know when and I'll happily go and hang out with Linc. It'll be nice, you could get some takeout and watch some movies, or some Netflix."

The blonde thinks about that for a minute, it could actually work and it would at least get her and Lexa to first date territory.

"Alright" she nods. "Should I text her about it now?"

"Yes!" Octavia bounces excitedly beside her "That way, you can plan to have the date when she gets back. Do it, do it now."

Clarke laughs at her friends excitement. "Alright, I'll do it now."

Lexa has a good long talk and catchup with Tris. They touched on some of the heavy stuff, but not too much to stress her little sister out. It'll all come out in time. Later they'd joined Indra downstairs, in the dining room for dinner and Lexa was now getting herself ready for bed.

She couldn't help but smile when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket, bringing up the home screen to see she has a text from Clarke.

 **Clarke: Hey, I hope everything is going well over there. I was wondering if you wanted to have a date, with me, obviously. At my place, when you get back.**

 **Clarke: Not like that night. You'd be tired, lol. I mean, Monday night?**

 **Clarke: If it's too soon, that's okay. I just thought I'd ask. I've been thinking about it. So, yeah, let me know.**

Lexa chuckled at Clarke's text's, she must be nervous. So cute. She'd actually been thinking of the same thing, so she replies quickly.

 **Lexa: Hey, things are good. A date night at your place sounds great, I'd love to. I've been thinking along the same lines myself.**

 **Clarke: Great :D So, is Monday night good?**

 **Lexa: Definitely ;) I look forward to it.**

 **Clarke: Okay ;) I'll see you Monday then x**

 **Lexa: See you then x**

Lexa knows she's smiling like a total goof. She's excited for a date with Clarke, she's exciting for everything to do with Clarke.


	17. Kiss The Damn Girl

_I should have kissed her. Should I have kissed her? It's a bit too soon, right? It might have freaked her out. But it's not really too soon, if you think about it, it's actually been a long time, just...things got in the way, delays. It felt like she wanted me to kiss her, there was a feeling, a vibe, a definite vibe..._

Lexa needs to shut up and stop talking to herself. She's just driven home from her dinner and movie night date with Clarke and she's starting to think that she just missed her cue. Her cue to have her first proper kiss with Clarke. _Shit_

Lexa makes her way into her apartment to find Lincoln and Octavia cuddled up on the couch. They both turn their heads towards her when she enters and Octavia immediately points out her sulky face.

"What's that face for? Please tell me you guys aren't fighting, I've just gotten used to you guys' not so subtle fluff fest"

Lexa sighs heavily as she places her keys, phone and wallet on the kitchen counter.

"No, we aren't fighting, I just think I may have missed a first kiss opportunity. Which I am now internally slapping myself for, repeatedly, as I can literally think of nothing else but how much I want to kiss Clarke."

Octavia seems positively distressed by this information and leaps off the couch to go stand with the pouting brunette.

"What do you mean? Tell me exactly, EXACTLY what happened."

Lexa nods and so begins...

"Right, well had a great night, again, and we were cuddling of the couch, laughing, talking, flirting...everything was awesome. When it came to say goodnight, we were both standing in the doorway...just, have know...looking at each other-"

"Yeah, you guys do that a lot, it's weird. Cute…but in a weird way."

Lexa scowls at her so Octavia rolls her eyes and nods for her to continue.

"Anyway, so we hugged and then as we were pulling away, I pushed some of her hair out of her face and...sort, like, stroked her cheek with my thumb and Clarke...like...she leant in and...I,uh, I didn't know if it was too early for a kiss or not and I sort of, like...pushed my cheek into her lips."

Lexa hears Lincoln snort from his seat on the couch and Octavia immediately starts obnoxiously cackling, right in Lexa's face.

" .god! Priceless! Fucking priceless Lexa!...oh jeez!"

Octavia continues to laugh, as does Lincoln.

Lexa just stands there, cheeks beet red, but a scowl firmly planted on her features, arms crossed defensively.

Once Octavia has gotten her fit under control, she speaks again.

"Sorry...it's just that image of you like smudging your cheek into Clarke's mouth...look, I have to tell you that you most definitely did miss your cue. Poor Clarke, she's probably really confused right now."

Lexa let's out a loud groan and leans against the counter, dropping her head into her hands.

"Oh don't be so dramatic. Just go back over there and kiss her. Neither of you will sleep tonight, you regretting not making a move and Clarke wondering if she scared you off or did something wrong. Go, kiss her."

Lexa lifts her head from her hands and looks at Octavia like she grew another head.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious. It'll be romantic. Literally just go over there, knock on the door and when she answers it, kiss the damn girl"

Lexa checks the time on the clock on the wall, 10:45pm, it's not THAT late.

"I can do that"

Octavia claps her hands in excitement.

"Yeah have can Sexy Lexy! Go, now. Be gone with you, get kissing."

Lexa stands straight, nods at Octavia, then Lincoln, she picks up her things from the counter and walks back out the door. I'm gonna go kiss the hell out of Clarke Griffin.

Clarke is cursing herself for reading all the signals wrong. She was sure Lexa wanted her to kiss her...evidently she didn't. That cheek kiss was awkward as hell. She's embarrassed and is frantically trying to think of what she could text Lexa when there is a knock on the door. She frowns, she's sure Octavia said she was staying with Lincoln tonight and either way, Octavia has her keys. She walks to the door and looks through the peephole. It's Lexa.

Clarke opens the door and before she can say anything, the brunette walks right passed her. Confused, Clarke shuts the door and spins around the face the other woman and ask why she's here again. They stand there facing each other, just a few steps apart. Lexa opens her mouth, as if to speak, but quickly shuts it again, eyes darting to each of Clarke's. And then she's moving forward...

Clarke feels like time has slowed down as Lexa closes the distance between them. As soon as Lexa's front presses into Clarke's, careful of her arm and cast, her hand comes up to cup the back of the blondes neck...and then Clarke feels Lexa's plump lips press against her own as her back meets the wall. _Bliss_. Clarke is quick to place her hand on Lexa's hip and pull her body closer as she kisses back. She can't resist pulling the brunette's bottom lip into her mouth, sucking gently, the action elicits a quiet moan from the other woman and that sound sends pleasant waves through Clarke's entire body. That irritating need for air has Clarke pulling back slightly as she takes a breath. She opens her eyes to see Lexa smiling widely at her, still pressed firmly against her, one hand still on the back of her neck as her other hand rests on the wall besides the blondes head.

"Hi" Clarke barely breathes out, still caught up in the bliss of the moment.

"Hi…sorry I didn't kiss you before, I wanted to, badly, but I was worried you didn't."

"I did."

"I see that now."

"You should kiss me again, to make up for before." The blonde says teasingly, tightening her grip ever so slightly on the brunette's hip.

Lexa leans in, brushing her nose against the blondes

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm...I think it should be longer too, make up for all the waiting in between." Clarke replies, her tone lower than before.

Lexa doesn't need to be asked twice, so she captures Clarke's lips again, and they both sigh in relief at the feeling. Their lips move slowly against each others, slow yet firm. Revelling in this new sensation, this new closeness. The kiss starts off soft and slow but soon intensifies. Clarke moves her hand from Lexa's hip and starts to run it up and down her side and around her back. Lexa depends the kiss, pressing her body further into Clarke's. The blonde runs her tongue against Lexa's lips and the brunette eagerly opens her mouth. Their tongues don't fight for dominance, they just glide against each other, content to finally be here, lost in the sensation. Clarke feels Lexa's hands move from her neck, down over her arms, before sneaking behind the blonde's waist before smoothing over the curve of her ass. Clarke feels hot, too hot and she knows if she doesn't pull back, this will lead on to something they are not quite ready for. So she slows down the kiss, finishing with three more pecks to Lexa's intoxicating lips.

"Mmhmm, yep, you're good at that." she says, patting the brunette's shoulder trying to catch her breath.

She hears Lexa chuckle. "Likewise…I didn't hurt your arm did I?"

Clarke finally looks up into Lexa's eyes and bites her lip when she see's how blown her pupils are, she's sure her own eyes look the same.

"No…no, its fine. It doesn't actually hurt much anymore, the cast will come off soon."

Lexa nods, gently and steals another quick peck of the blonde's lips.

"Alright, I should go now, Its late and we have work in the morning."

"Okay."

Neither of them move.

Clarke giggles. "One of us has to move."

"Don't wanna."

"I don't want to either, but we have to."

Lexa pouts, it's the cutest thing and she finally takes a step back.

"I'll see you in the morning." the brunette says as she walks to the door.

Clarke hasn't moved from her spot, she's still trying to calm her breathing and get some strength back into her limbs. She feels melty.

"See you in the morning."

Lexa knocks on Clarke's door the next morning, ready to pick her partner up and drive them into work.

Clarke opens the door and Lexa is about to say Good Morning when the blonde grabs her by the collar of her leather jacket and smashes her lips against Lexa's own. When Clarke let's go, Lexa is dazed and it takes her a while to open her eyes.

When she does manage to open them, she's greeted by hooded, piecing blue eyes and a smirk so sexy it makes the brunettes stomach flip.

"H-Hi..Hi, Good Morning." Lexa manages to stutter out.

"Mornin', sorry, I didn't mean to jump you…well, that's a lie, I did. I've just been thinking about our last kiss all night and I couldn't wait to do it again." The blonde isn't the slightest bit bashful, right now and Lexa has to admit that it's a big turn on.

So she sends Clarke back her own satisfied smirk "No complaints here, I haven't stopped thinking about it either."

They stand there in the doorway like a couple of smiling idiots for several minutes until they finally realise they have somewhere to be. So, Clarke grabs her stuff and they head into HQ.

Lexa smiles when they get out of the car and Clarke grabs her hand, entwining their fingers as they walk to the entrance. Until something pops into Lexa's mind and she suddenly stops just before the doors.

"Wait. Are we allowed to date?…I mean, because we're partners. Is it accepted? frowned upon? Or completely against the rules?"

Clarke looks startled by the questioning and looks down at their still joined hands, frowning and then looking back up at her partner.

"I don't know, it never entered my head before. Shit."

Lexa squeezes Clarke's hand, feeling bad for causing the blonde's sudden worry.

"It's okay, let's not worry too much until we find out. We'll work our way around it, whatever the rules state."

"I've never read anything or come across any outright rules about it. Actually I've never come across anything about that topic. I think they'd make sure it was something that was known loud and clear if it was a big no-no"

Lexa quirks an eyebrow, amused by what the blonde just said. "A big 'no-no'?"

The blonde rolls her eyes before tugging Lexa towards the entrance.

"Oh hush."

Lexa laughs, following her partner into the building.


	18. Holy Shit

Turns out, dating in the workplace isn't a big fat NO. However, it is _slightly_ frowned upon, but it's not breaking any rules. Basically, leave all your relationship stuff at home, don't bring it to work. No kissing, No arguing, No inappropriate touching, obviously, but also just no touchy feely, 'we are clearly dating'-esque stuff. Easy…kinda.

"Lexa…" Clarke starts from her position, seated on top of her desk whilst her partner stands firmly between her legs, hands on her thighs, leaning in to kiss her again "…someone could see us."

Lexa kisses her again and then answers "I pulled the blinds shut, nobody can see."

Clarke lets out a breathy laugh "Which is suspicious in itself, and anyway, anyone could walk through the door at any moment."

Lexa's hands trail higher up the blondes thighs and squeezes firmly. The action makes a flash of heat shoot right between the blondes legs. Lexa just stares into her eyes with a smirk on her face, seeming to know exactly what reaction she just caused.

"Lexa…" Clarke says warningly

"Clarke…" Lexa says, teasingly mimicking the blondes tone.

Clarke huffs playfully and gently pushes Lexa away so she can slide off the table. The blonde hears her partner chuckle as she moves around the desk and sits down in the chair on her side of it. Once she's seated, Clarke looks across the desk to see that Lexa is watching her, the cocky smirk still firmly in place.

"You know…" the blonde says, shooting a mock glare in Lexa's direction "You should be careful of teasing me, two can play that game."

The brunette just quirks an eyebrow in response, her expression saying _'oh really? bring it on'._

Clarke rolls her eyes at the other woman, but has a playful smile on her lips.

Clarke is over the moon to finally have that damn cast off. Having her arm set at an angle for so many weeks had been intensely irritating. The overwhelming urge to straighten out her arm could finally be sated, it felt weird and weaker than before, but she'd been given a few exercises to do to help with that.

Today was Raven's Birthday and tonight everyone was heading out to 'Tall Trees' nightclub to celebrate. Clarke could hear the muffled thumping bass coming from Octavia's room, letting Clarke know that her roommate was probably getting ready for their night out, and that she should probably start on that too.

Clarke is extremely determined to look her very, very best tonight. Her goal is to tease Lexa Volkov to the brink of insanity. Lexa, has been an absolute teasing nightmare. Make-out sessions are cut short just as things get heated, subtle yet arousing touches that never lead anywhere and are always made just as the brunette leaves, stupid cocky smirk firmly in place. It's infuriating and Clarke is very, very sexually frustrated. She knows it's all in good fun, that they have been skirting around the idea of taking things further, both women being stupidly shy about being the one to make that move. But Lexa is being a little shit and Clarke wants payback.

She chooses a dress that she hasn't worn for quite a long time. It's a black and white monochrome minidress, it's mostly black except for the cuffs and collar…an open collar that runs low enough to show off her generous cleavage. The dress comes to just above mid-thigh…which is great, because it shows off something that Lexa has definitely not seen before… her Tattoo. It's something she had done in college, on a while and sorta, kinda, maybe a bit tipsy. It's not embarrassing or anything, she just wishes it had more meaning, it's of rose vines wrapping around her thigh with a G Clef and feathers scattered along the vines and caught up in the thorns. When they are at the gym or training, Clarke always wears either leggings or a pair of spandex shorts that come down to her knee, so she knows for sure that Lexa isn't aware of it, hopefully she likes it.

Clarke puts on the dress and opts for leaving her hair down in loose waves, she applies some smokey make-up to her eyes, black eye liner and a subtle shade of red lipstick. When she looks at her reflection is the full length mirror in her bedroom, she smirks back at herself. She's looking fucking hot and she knows it. _I can't wait to see what Lexa thinks._

The blonde throws on some heels to match her dress and heads out into the kitchen.

"Holyyyyy Shiiiiiit, Clarkey!" Octavia yells as she sees the blonde walk into the kitchen. "You look so hot, that you don't look real! Lexa is going to be beside herself…no, Lexa is going to be beside _you_ , on you, under you. I am extremely excited to see her drooling all over you, even though a part of me is slightly concerned that you might also give her a heart attack."

Clarke laughs at her roommate and is far too thankful for her reaction.

"Why thank you, O! You're looking hot yourself."

Octavia is wearing an ultra tight dark blue dress that comes to just above her knees. Her hair is pulled back in a slick ponytail, not a hair out of place. Octavia smiles and shrugs simply as if to say 'Duh, obviously'.

The two friends sit at the kitchen counter, chatting and catching up on their week whilst sipping on a glass of vodka and coke each until their taxi arrives. They climb into the back of the Taxi, gifts for Raven in their hands and head over to the club.

Lexa is standing at one of the bars in the club, surrounding by her work colleagues and friends. She's currently engaged in light conversation with Lincoln about a job interview he's just had, sipping on her glass of rum and coke and eyeing the club's main entrance, waiting for Clarke to arrive.

Lexa is wearing black skinny jeans, black boots and a light grey shirt, sleeves rolled up to her elbows and a few buttons undone enough to reveal the hint of a black bra and a tiny amount of cleavage. Her hair is down, but she made the effort to straighten it tonight, but can't seem to stop herself from running her fingers through it every now and then out of habit.

Raven comes over to talk to them and Lexa hands her a birthday card with a gift card inside to an online gadgets store, she might have stolen that idea from Clarke but she really had no idea what to get her new friend and colleague. Raven starts pointing out to them, some of the people in attendance and who they are, when Lexa spots Clarke and Octavia walks through the entrance, giggling over something.

Lexa's jaw drops, her breath catches in her throat and she knows her eyes must be comically wide, but all she cares about right now is looking at the blonde bombshell that is walking towards her with a satisfied smirk on her fucking gorgeous face. The brunette runs her eyes down her partners body, taking in every curve that, tonight, is accentuated deliciously by the dress the blonde is wearing. When Lexa's gaze travels over the blonde's thighs, she notices that Clarke has a tattoo, a very sexy tattoo that disappears underneath the dress. She watches as Clarke and Octavia come to a stop before them, both women embracing Raven, wishing her a happy birthday and presenting her with gifts. Clarke glances at Lexa out of the corner of her eyes and the brunette can't get over how much more blue they look, surrounded by the dark, smokey make-up Clarke has on.

Raven excuses herself to go and greet some more guests and Octavia instantly greets Lincoln with a kiss and then orders a drink.

Clarke turns to Lexa and flashes her a toothy smile before walking the few steps that separate them. Lexa just watches as the blonde approaches her, head still dizzy at how amazing the other woman is looking, but snaps out of her daze as Clarke leans in to place a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"Hi" the blonde says into Lexa's ear, hot breath against her neck making the brunette shiver. "You look stunning."

"You, Y-Y-You look stunning, amazing…Hot, really, really hot." Lexa manages to stutter out as she smiles at Clarke, reaching out to pull the other woman in. But before she can even touch her, Clarke slides past Lexa and leans forward on the bar, gaining the barman's attention to order her drink. Lexa quickly turns around and stands beside Clarke at the bar - although, not before glancing down at Clarke's ass appreciatively. Wow.

"I'll get that." The brunette says to the barman, pulling her card out of her back pocket and handing it to the man.

"Thank you" Clarke says, smiling sweetly at her, Lexa can't help but smile widely back, she's completely entranced by the blonde.

Lexa is just about to ask Clarke to dance when Octavia beats her to it, grabbing Clarke by the hand and leading her to the dance floor. Lexa adores Octavia, but right now she wants to tackle her to the floor for stealing away her very hot, very sexy girlfriend.

 _WHOA. Girlfriend? Jumping ahead of yourself a bit there, Lex. You haven't even had that talk yet._

Lexa thinks about that, she most definitely wants this amazing woman to be her girlfriend, although she's worried Clarke might no be quite there yet.

"You look like someone just stole your favourite toy". Lincoln says from beside her, propped against the bar and making her jump.

Lexa rolls her eyes at him. "Can you blame me? She looks amazing and not 5 minutes into her being here, your girlfriend steals her away. And don't refer to Clarke as a toy." she frowns at him.

Lincoln let's out a hearty laugh and rolls his eyes right back at her. "I'm not calling Clarke a toy, touchy! You just looked devastated when O took her away, you're really into her, aren't you?"

Lexa can't help the smile that spreads across her face and doesn't even try to deny it, she just nods in response and Lincoln smiles.

They both turn their heads back to the dance floor and watch as Octavia and Clarke laugh brightly whilst they dance with each other.

"Did. You. See. Lexa's. Face." Octavia says to Clarke with an excited grin. It had been Octavia's idea to ask Clarke to dance before Lexa could, saying it would drive the brunette even more crazy.

"I did. I don't know how much longer I can tease her though, she's looking so hot, I just wanna jump on her."

When Clarke walked into the club and her eyes met Lexa's, she was turned on in an instant. They way Lexa looked at her made her stomach do somersaults, her hungry eyes made Clarke want to let Lexa ravish her, right there and then.

Octavia laughs in response and twirls Clarke around, they dance for a couple more songs before joining Lincoln and Lexa back at the bar.

Octavia drags Lincoln to the dance floor and Clarke takes a seat on a stool beside Lexa.

"Wanna dance?" Lexa asks, and Clarke has to bite her lip from laughing when she sees the pout on her partners face, when she tells her she'd like to just sit for a while.

They get into a conversation about many topics. They talk about Clarke's college days, how she got her tattoo - which Lexa keeps eyeing whilst licking her lips - they talk with Jasper, Monty and Raven, laughing as Raven's speech becomes progressively more slurred, as she knocks back the shots that everyone kept buying her in celebration. Every time Lexa makes a move to touch her, Clarke manages to subtly move away before she makes contact. She can see its driving the brunette crazy, if he fighting is anything to go by. When Clarke returns from the bathroom, Lexa seems to have wised up to the blonde's intentional teasing and she pulls Clarke into her as soon as she goes to sit back on her stool.

Clarke finds herself standing between Lexa's legs from where the brunette sits on her stool, she feels the other woman's thighs squeeze at her sides, trapping her there. Lexa keeps her hands on the arms of the stool and narrows her eyes at Clarke.

"This is payback for all my teasing isn't it? Every time I try and touch you, you move out of the way. It's driving me crazy."

The way Clarke smirks devilishly back at her, is all the confirmation the brunette needs.

"I'm seriously regretting it now, PLEASE can we call a truce. I am sorry if the teasing became too much, I have most definitely learnt my lesson." Lexa is looking into Clarke's eyes, it's intense, a mixture of hunger and pleading. Clarke thinks they've played this game long enough, so she smiles cheekily and nods.

Lexa's hands immediately reach forward and land on Clarke's hips, pulling her in even more, so that their fronts are pressed together. Clarke brings her arms up to wrap around Lexa's neck and their lips meet in a heated kiss. This kiss is hungry, starving and wanting, it's hot and their tongues briefly battle for dominance before Clarke gives in, letting Lexa take the lead. Lexa's hands have made their way to the small of Clarke's back, they make their way slowly over the blonde's ass and squeeze firmly, causing heat to coil in the blondes belly as she nips Lexa's bottom lip.

Lexa's in ecstasy, finally, after being tortured with teasing most of the night, her hands can feel Clarke's seductive curves and taste her addictive mouth. Her nerve endings feel charged with electricity, waves of arousal flowing through her body like a powerful current. They are oblivious to their surroundings, so caught up in each other that they don't even hear Octavia the first time she calls out to them. It takes Octavia to push at their shoulders before they break apart their lips, both turning their heads to their friend with matching frowns.

"Whoa there guys, I'm sorry but if I didn't get your attention, I was genuinely concerned that you'd start humping each other in public."

Clarke and Lexa blush slightly, but still keep their annoyed glares trained on Octavia.

"Lexa.." Octavia starts "…You hands are still on Clarke's ass."

"And? My hands are very comfortable where they are." The brunette says with her usual smirk and Clarke chuckles whilst nuzzling her face into the crook of her neck, leaving a light kiss there before pulling away completely. Lexa pouts and pulls her back in, but keeps her hands on the small of her back instead.

Octavia rolls her eyes and throws her hands in the air.

"Okay, I give up, but don't come crying to me if you get arrested for indecency." she says playfully before walking back to a booth that Lincoln is seated at with Jasper and Monty.

Lexa feels Clarke's fingers glide through her hair as she kisses her again. She feels the blonde's lips kiss the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw and then just underneath her ear. Turns out, dating in the workplace isn't a big fat NO. However, it is _slightly_ frowned upon, but it's not breaking any rules. Basically, leave all your relationship stuff at home, don't bring it to work. No kissing, No arguing, No inappropriate touching, obviously, but also just no touchy feely, 'we are clearly dating'-esque stuff. Easy…kinda.

"Lexa…" Clarke starts from her position, seated on top of her desk whilst her partner stands firmly between her legs, hands on her thighs, leaning in to kiss her again "…someone could see us."

Lexa kisses her again and then answers "I pulled the blinds shut, nobody can see."

Clarke lets out a breathy laugh "Which is suspicious in itself, and anyway, anyone could walk through the door at any moment."

Lexa's hands trail higher up the blondes thighs and squeezes firmly. The action makes a flash of heat shoot right between the blondes legs. Lexa just stares into her eyes with a smirk on her face, seeming to know exactly what reaction she just caused.

"Lexa…" Clarke says warningly

"Clarke…" Lexa says, teasingly mimicking the blondes tone.

Clarke huffs playfully and gently pushes Lexa away so she can slide off the table. The blonde hears her partner chuckle as she moves around the desk and sits down in the chair on her side of it. Once she's seated, Clarke looks across the desk to see that Lexa is watching her, the cocky smirk still firmly in place.

"You know…" the blonde says, shooting a mock glare in Lexa's direction "You should be careful of teasing me, two can play that game."

The brunette just quirks an eyebrow in response, her expression saying _'oh really? bring it on'._

Clarke rolls her eyes at the other woman, but has a playful smile on her lips.

Clarke is over the moon to finally have that damn cast off. Having her arm set at an angle for so many weeks had been intensely irritating. The overwhelming urge to straighten out her arm could finally be sated, it felt weird and weaker than before, but she'd been given a few exercises to do to help with that.

Today was Raven's Birthday and tonight everyone was heading out to 'Tall Trees' nightclub to celebrate. Clarke could hear the muffled thumping bass coming from Octavia's room, letting Clarke know that her roommate was probably getting ready for their night out, and that she should probably start on that too.

Clarke is extremely determined to look her very, very best tonight. Her goal is to tease Lexa Volkov to the brink of insanity. Lexa, has been an absolute teasing nightmare. Make-out sessions are cut short just as things get heated, subtle yet arousing touches that never lead anywhere and are always made just as the brunette leaves, stupid cocky smirk firmly in place. It's infuriating and Clarke is very, very sexually frustrated. She knows it's all in good fun, that they have been skirting around the idea of taking things further, both women being stupidly shy about being the one to make that move. But Lexa is being a little shit and Clarke wants payback.

She chooses a dress that she hasn't worn for quite a long time. It's a black and white monochrome minidress, it's mostly black except for the cuffs and collar…an open collar that runs low enough to show off her generous cleavage. The dress comes to just above mid-thigh…which is great, because it shows off something that Lexa has definitely not seen before… her Tattoo. It's something she had done in college, on a while and sorta, kinda, maybe a bit tipsy. It's not embarrassing or anything, she just wishes it had more meaning, it's of rose vines wrapping around her thigh with a G Clef and feathers scattered along the vines and caught up in the thorns. When they are at the gym or training, Clarke always wears either leggings or a pair of spandex shorts that come down to her knee, so she knows for sure that Lexa isn't aware of it, hopefully she likes it.

Clarke puts on the dress and opts for leaving her hair down in loose waves, she applies some smokey make-up to her eyes, black eye liner and a subtle shade of red lipstick. When she looks at her reflection is the full length mirror in her bedroom, she smirks back at herself. She's looking fucking hot and she knows it. _I can't wait to see what Lexa thinks._

The blonde throws on some heels to match her dress and heads out into the kitchen.

"Holyyyyy Shiiiiiit, Clarkey!" Octavia yells as she sees the blonde walk into the kitchen. "You look so hot, that you don't look real! Lexa is going to be beside herself…no, Lexa is going to be beside _you_ , on you, under you. I am extremely excited to see her drooling all over you, even though a part of me is slightly concerned that you might also give her a heart attack."

Clarke laughs at her roommate and is far too thankful for her reaction.

"Why thank you, O! You're looking hot yourself."

Octavia is wearing an ultra tight dark blue dress that comes to just above her knees. Her hair is pulled back in a slick ponytail, not a hair out of place. Octavia smiles and shrugs simply as if to say 'Duh, obviously'.

The two friends sit at the kitchen counter, chatting and catching up on their week whilst sipping on a glass of vodka and coke each until their taxi arrives. They climb into the back of the Taxi, gifts for Raven in their hands and head over to the club.

Lexa is standing at one of the bars in the club, surrounding by her work colleagues and friends. She's currently engaged in light conversation with Lincoln about a job interview he's just had, sipping on her glass of rum and coke and eyeing the club's main entrance, waiting for Clarke to arrive.

Lexa is wearing black skinny jeans, black boots and a light grey shirt, sleeves rolled up to her elbows and a few buttons undone enough to reveal the hint of a black bra and a tiny amount of cleavage. Her hair is down, but she made the effort to straighten it tonight, but can't seem to stop herself from running her fingers through it every now and then out of habit.

Raven comes over to talk to them and Lexa hands her a birthday card with a gift card inside to an online gadgets store, she might have stolen that idea from Clarke but she really had no idea what to get her new friend and colleague. Raven starts pointing out to them, some of the people in attendance and who they are, when Lexa spots Clarke and Octavia walks through the entrance, giggling over something.

Lexa's jaw drops, her breath catches in her throat and she knows her eyes must be comically wide, but all she cares about right now is looking at the blonde bombshell that is walking towards her with a satisfied smirk on her fucking gorgeous face. The brunette runs her eyes down her partners body, taking in every curve that, tonight, is accentuated deliciously by the dress the blonde is wearing. When Lexa's gaze travels over the blonde's thighs, she notices that Clarke has a tattoo, a very sexy tattoo that disappears underneath the dress. She watches as Clarke and Octavia come to a stop before them, both women embracing Raven, wishing her a happy birthday and presenting her with gifts. Clarke glances at Lexa out of the corner of her eyes and the brunette can't get over how much more blue they look, surrounded by the dark, smokey make-up Clarke has on.

Raven excuses herself to go and greet some more guests and Octavia instantly greets Lincoln with a kiss and then orders a drink.

Clarke turns to Lexa and flashes her a toothy smile before walking the few steps that separate them. Lexa just watches as the blonde approaches her, head still dizzy at how amazing the other woman is looking, but snaps out of her daze as Clarke leans in to place a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"Hi" the blonde says into Lexa's ear, hot breath against her neck making the brunette shiver. "You look stunning."

"You, Y-Y-You look stunning, amazing…Hot, really, really hot." Lexa manages to stutter out as she smiles at Clarke, reaching out to pull the other woman in. But before she can even touch her, Clarke slides past Lexa and leans forward on the bar, gaining the barman's attention to order her drink. Lexa quickly turns around and stands beside Clarke at the bar - although, not before glancing down at Clarke's ass appreciatively. Wow.

"I'll get that." The brunette says to the barman, pulling her card out of her back pocket and handing it to the man.

"Thank you" Clarke says, smiling sweetly at her, Lexa can't help but smile widely back, she's completely entranced by the blonde.

Lexa is just about to ask Clarke to dance when Octavia beats her to it, grabbing Clarke by the hand and leading her to the dance floor. Lexa adores Octavia, but right now she wants to tackle her to the floor for stealing away her very hot, very sexy girlfriend.

 _WHOA. Girlfriend? Jumping ahead of yourself a bit there, Lex. You haven't even had that talk yet._

Lexa thinks about that, she most definitely wants this amazing woman to be her girlfriend, although she's worried Clarke might no be quite there yet.

"You look like someone just stole your favourite toy". Lincoln says from beside her, propped against the bar and making her jump.

Lexa rolls her eyes at him. "Can you blame me? She looks amazing and not 5 minutes into her being here, your girlfriend steals her away. And don't refer to Clarke as a toy." she frowns at him.

Lincoln let's out a hearty laugh and rolls his eyes right back at her. "I'm not calling Clarke a toy, touchy! You just looked devastated when O took her away, you're really into her, aren't you?"

Lexa can't help the smile that spreads across her face and doesn't even try to deny it, she just nods in response and Lincoln smiles.

They both turn their heads back to the dance floor and watch as Octavia and Clarke laugh brightly whilst they dance with each other.

"Did. You. See. Lexa's. Face." Octavia says to Clarke with an excited grin. It had been Octavia's idea to ask Clarke to dance before Lexa could, saying it would drive the brunette even more crazy.

"I did. I don't know how much longer I can tease her though, she's looking so hot, I just wanna jump on her."

When Clarke walked into the club and her eyes met Lexa's, she was turned on in an instant. They way Lexa looked at her made her stomach do somersaults, her hungry eyes made Clarke want to let Lexa ravish her, right there and then.

Octavia laughs in response and twirls Clarke around, they dance for a couple more songs before joining Lincoln and Lexa back at the bar.

Octavia drags Lincoln to the dance floor and Clarke takes a seat on a stool beside Lexa.

"Wanna dance?" Lexa asks, and Clarke has to bite her lip from laughing when she sees the pout on her partners face, when she tells her she'd like to just sit for a while.

They get into a conversation about many topics. They talk about Clarke's college days, how she got her tattoo - which Lexa keeps eyeing whilst licking her lips - they talk with Jasper, Monty and Raven, laughing as Raven's speech becomes progressively more slurred, as she knocks back the shots that everyone kept buying her in celebration. Every time Lexa makes a move to touch her, Clarke manages to subtly move away before she makes contact. She can see its driving the brunette crazy, if he fighting is anything to go by. When Clarke returns from the bathroom, Lexa seems to have wised up to the blonde's intentional teasing and she pulls Clarke into her as soon as she goes to sit back on her stool.

Clarke finds herself standing between Lexa's legs from where the brunette sits on her stool, she feels the other woman's thighs squeeze at her sides, trapping her there. Lexa keeps her hands on the arms of the stool and narrows her eyes at Clarke.

"This is payback for all my teasing isn't it? Every time I try and touch you, you move out of the way. It's driving me crazy."

The way Clarke smirks devilishly back at her, is all the confirmation the brunette needs.

"I'm seriously regretting it now, PLEASE can we call a truce. I am sorry if the teasing became too much, I have most definitely learnt my lesson." Lexa is looking into Clarke's eyes, it's intense, a mixture of hunger and pleading. Clarke thinks they've played this game long enough, so she smiles cheekily and nods.

Lexa's hands immediately reach forward and land on Clarke's hips, pulling her in even more, so that their fronts are pressed together. Clarke brings her arms up to wrap around Lexa's neck and their lips meet in a heated kiss. This kiss is hungry, starving and wanting, it's hot and their tongues briefly battle for dominance before Clarke gives in, letting Lexa take the lead. Lexa's hands have made their way to the small of Clarke's back, they make their way slowly over the blonde's ass and squeeze firmly, causing heat to coil in the blondes belly as she nips Lexa's bottom lip.

Lexa's in ecstasy, finally, after being tortured with teasing most of the night, her hands can feel Clarke's seductive curves and taste her addictive mouth. Her nerve endings feel charged with electricity, waves of arousal flowing through her body like a powerful current. They are oblivious to their surroundings, so caught up in each other that they don't even hear Octavia the first time she calls out to them. It takes Octavia to push at their shoulders before they break apart their lips, both turning their heads to their friend with matching frowns.

"Whoa there guys, I'm sorry but if I didn't get your attention, I was genuinely concerned that you'd start humping each other in public."

Clarke and Lexa blush slightly, but still keep their annoyed glares trained on Octavia.

"Lexa.." Octavia starts "…You hands are still on Clarke's ass."

"And? My hands are very comfortable where they are." The brunette says with her usual smirk and Clarke chuckles whilst nuzzling her face into the crook of her neck, leaving a light kiss there before pulling away completely. Lexa pouts and pulls her back in, but keeps her hands on the small of her back instead.

Octavia rolls her eyes and throws her hands in the air.

"Okay, I give up, but don't come crying to me if you get arrested for indecency." she says playfully before walking back to a booth that Lincoln is seated at with Jasper and Monty.

Lexa feels Clarke's fingers glide through her hair as she kisses her again. She feels the blonde's lips kiss the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jaw and then just underneath her ear. "Do you want to get out of here?" she whispers into Clarke's ear. Lexa feels Clarke nod as she places another kiss to her neck, the brunette slips off of her stool and grabs Clarke's hand, entwining their fingers.

Lexa leads them through the crowds and out of the club, she hails a Taxi and they head off to Lexa's apartment. "Do you want to get out of here?" she whispers into Clarke's ear. Lexa feels Clarke nod as she places another kiss to her neck, the brunette slips off of her stool and grabs Clarke's hand, entwining their fingers.

Lexa leads them through the crowds and out of the club, she hails a Taxi and they head off to Lexa's apartment.


	19. Holy Wow

When Lexa closes the door to her apartment, she leans back against it and stops to admire the sight of Clarke standing in the middle of the room. The lights are still off and the blonde is bathed in the moonlight coming in through the living room windows. Clarke isn't just hot and sexy, she's breathtakingly beautiful. Lexa doesn't want to rush now that they are here. She pushes herself off the door and slowly walks towards this blonde angel that stands before her. Clarke watches her every move, her chest rising and falling with deep, fervent breaths full of anticipation.

Lexa brings her hands up to gently cup the blondes face, she leans in and kisses those soft, inviting lips. She kisses Clarke light and slow, dragging her bottom lip across Clarke's top one every now and then, eliciting the slightest of whimpers from the blonde beauty. She feels Clarke's hands begin to unbutton her shirt and sighs softly when Clarke's hands slide inside and warm palms make contact with her stomach. Clarke's hands fan out against her abs, sliding up and around Lexa's rib and fingernails lightly glide down her back as a whisper of a moan leaves the brunettes mouth. Clarke grins as her palms lay flat against Lexa's back, applying pressure, making sure no distance is left between them.

Clarke breaks away from Lexa's lips, trailing hot open mouthed kisses along her cheek, to her agonisingly perfect jaw, down her throat and then up her neck, reaching the brunettes ear and nipping the lobe lightly. Lexa shudders, her hands leaving Clarke's face, travelling down over the sides of the blonde's breasts, sliding down the length of her waist and squeezing her hips. She pushes Clarke backwards towards her bedroom as she continues to kiss her, they move in a sort of sideways waddle, which makes them both giggle at the awkward movement.

When they enter Lexa's bedroom, the brunette swiftly kicks the door closed behind them and continues to walk Clarke back towards the bed. When the back of Clarke's knees touch the bed, Lexa pushes blonde hair away from her left shoulder, exposing her neck and gathers the hair over Clarke's right shoulder as she leans in to place open mouthed kisses from her shoulder and up to her jaw. The brunette's hand sneaks around Clarke's back and begins to pull down the zipper that holds the blonde's dress in place. When it's unzipped all the way, Clarke pushes the fabric off her shoulders and the dress pools at her feet, leaving her in only…well…leaving her completely naked as she didn't wear anything underneath.

Clarke hears Lexa's sudden, sharp intake of breath and looks up to find pupils blows so wide that she can barely see green. Lexa surges forward kissing Clarke strong and deep as she quickly discards her shirt, throwing it on the ground and wrapping her arms around her idea of perfection. Clarke can feel Lexa's hands, everywhere, fingers kneading into curvy flesh and palms smoothing over dips and contours.

Clarke moves back, sitting on the edge of the bed as she hooks a finger in Lexa's belt loops and tugs her closer. She pops the button on Lexa's pants and pulls down the zipper leaving hot kisses across the brunette's waistline. When she looks up, Lexa's head is pointed to the ceiling, eyes closed, bottom lip pulled between her teeth. Clarke moves her hands to palm the back of Lexa's jean clad knees as her hands trail upwards, over the back of Lexa's thighs, up her cute, tight ass and fingers dipping under the waistband of the jeans, tugging them down, long, tanned legs.

Clarke shuffles back to the middle of the bed as Lexa steps out of her jeans. The brunette doesn't waste any time, crawling up the bed to Clarke, she hovers over the blonde for a few seconds, groaning as she takes in the sight before leaning down and latching her mouth onto an erect nipple, swirling around it with her tongue. Clarke let's out a deep moan and her hips buck up in response. Lexa leans on her forearms on either side of the blondes head and presses her hips into Clarke's. One of Clarke's hands shoots to the back of the brunette's head to keep her in place, whilst the other grips onto a hip. Lexa alternates between both breasts, licking, sucking and nipping at the round flesh. Clarke whole body is sparking with electricity, waves of heat dance along the edges of her nerve endings, she's never felt anything like this before. So charged, so tender, yet passionate, so intimate.

Lexa's breath is hot against her skin as she leaves a trail of wet, open mouthed kisses from her breasts to her belly button, hands smoothing over the heated skin of her sides. When the brunette licks from the top of Clarke's pubic bone up to her belly button, the blonde whimpers. Lexa lightly drags her nails along Clarke's smooth thighs as she looks into the blonde's eyes, silently asking permission to go where Clarke wants her the most. Clarke nods, receiving a _filthy_ grin in return, Lexa moves up her body and leans into lick along the blondes lips before exhaling loudly into another hot, deep kiss. Lexa kisses her way back down to her previous position between Clarke's legs and sits back on her haunches, dragging both her palms from the blondes breasts down to her thighs.

Lexa drags her finger tips lightly over Clarke's mound and slides her middle finger through the blondes wet folds, her mouth waters at the sensation. Silk, smooth, hot, soaking wet, Clarke. Lexa hears the blonde let out a loud, raspy moan which sends jolts of arousal to her already achingly wet centre.

"Come here" Clarke says breathlessly.

Lexa keeps her hands where it is, but she leans forward resting her other arm beside Clarke's head and pressing her body into the blondes. Lexa starts to draw light, tight circles around her clit as she kisses Clarke, swallowing moans and needy whimpers. The brunette's fingers travel down to Clarke's entrance, stilling there as she moves her lips to latch on to the other woman's neck.

"God, Lex…Please." Clarke's voice is low and gravelly, dripping with want and need.

That's all Lexa needs to hear as she pushes her two fingers deep inside, making Clarke cry out in pleasure as she buries her head into the blondes neck. Lexa begins to pump her fingers inside the blonde, feeling the hot wetness coating her fingers and relishing in the feel of her. She feels Clarke grab her face tightly as her hips drove up into Lexa's hand, kissing her so deeply that it makes them both gasp for breath. Lexa continues to slide her fingers in and out of Clarke in a slow and steady rhythm, curling her fingers and dragging against the sleek, spongy wall.

"Fuuuuck…god…Lex." the words are a gasp in Lexa's ear and she hears herself whimper. Then she feels Clarke's right leg lift slightly, pressing her thigh into Lexa's core and making the brunette's eyes roll back in her head at the contact.

Lexa grinds against Clarke's thigh as she picks up the pace of her fingers that still thrust back and forth into her blonde beauty. She increases her pace, feeling the blondes walls grip and tighten around her fingers, the air is filled with panting, sinful moans and urgent, building gasps. As Lexa thrusts into her again, Clarke feels the brunette's thumb circle her clit firmly as her fingers drag against her spongy walls once again, hitting her…. _just_ …. _right_.

"Lex Lexa! L-Fuck!" Clarke comes hard, her entire body engulfed in waves upon waves of heavenly pleasure.

Lexa carries her through her climax, gently stroking her fingers against her and prolonging Clarke's orgasm for as long as she could.

The blonde collapses against the sheets, panting and limp.

Lexa presses soft, feathery kisses to her chest as she withdraws her fingers, making Clarke groan.

"Holy..wow…Holy _jesus_ wow" the blonde finally manages to get out.

Lexa chuckles above her and when Clarke looks up, she's greeted by so much beauty it makes her heart ache. That is, until she notices that Lexa still has all of her underwear on…

"You're wearing way too many clothes, I need you naked and on your back, _now_."

Lexa looks back at her, with that filthy grin again.

"So get me _naked_ and put me _on my back_."

Clarke doesn't need to be told twice.

When Lexa wakes, she can see it's early morning as the first rays of sunlight creep in through her blinds. She looks down to find golden locks splayed across her chest, she feels Clarke's even breaths tickle at her skin, making goosebumps rise. She tightens her arms around her shoulders and holds her as close, and as gently as she possibly can. Lexa leaves a soft kiss upon Clarke's head and smiles to herself blissfully. Still pleasantly numb and deliciously spent, she sighs in contentment, her heart expanding with joy by the second.

 _You are everything to me._


	20. Drama Queen

Clarke is cranky. It's been three days since Clarke and Lexa spent the night together and they've both been so busy with work, that they haven't had enough time to be alone…in a private kind of sense.

She's cranky because its game night at her and Octavia's apartment and _everyone_ is hogging Lexa. First it was Raven, yanking Lexa down to the floor beside her to play some _stupid_ video game. Then it was Octavia and Lincoln talking about something _stupid_ with the brunette, it probably wasn't _stupid_ , but Clarke is in a mood, so everything is _stupid_ right now. And now, it's _stupid_ Harper, sitting on the arm of the chair that Lexa is currently sat in and clearly, _clearly_ flirting with _her brunette_. Clarke has the overwhelming urge to go and shove Harper off that arm.

Lexa's eyes keep flashing over to Clarke's, whilst she politely listens to whatever stupid things Harper is talking to her about. Clarke thinks Lexa probably wants to be alone with her, too.

Clarke sighs and walks out of the living room space and into the kitchen to grab another beer, she pops it open and leans over the counter, resting her forearms on the flat cool surface. She stares into space thinking about all the things she would much prefer to be doing right now, with Lexa.

"Hey, Blondie! What's with the grump face?" Raven slides in beside her, nudging her friend with her shoulder.

Clarke looks at Raven and then turns her head slightly to pointedly stare at Lexa and Harper, who are still engaged in conversation as Harper places a hand on Lexa's arm every now and then.

Raven rolls her eyes and then grabs the blondes arm, yanking her to the edge of the hallway, so she can speak with her friend more privately.

"Okay Blondie, I'm telling you right now that you need to push down those Jealousy feelings. You know how Harper is, she's always been the touchy feely type and Lexa is clearly all about you, so stop with the cranky face."

Clarke huffs, she knows Raven's right, she knows she's being a bit childish right now, but after everything her and Lexa have been through, she can't help but feel a little vulnerable and possessive.

"I know, I know. I'm being silly. It's not even that Lexa is a problem. I just don't trust _her_ " she says, gesturing with her head to Harper. That's when she notices that Lexa is no longer sitting beside her and she quickly scans the room, looking for her favourite brunette.

"Where is Lexa anyway?" Clarke whips her gaze around, trying to spot her.

"Bathroom?" raven suggest as she shrugs.

Clarke checks the bathroom, only to find it empty. She checks the bedrooms and comes back into the living room to scan it once more. She looks to Harper.

"Harper, where did Lexa go?"

Harper shrugs. "She told me she was going over to the kitchen to find you."

Clarke frowns at that and decides to go and ask Lincoln if he knows where the brunette has disappeared to.

"Hey, linc, where is Lex? I've looked all over the apartment and I can't find her."

Lincoln's brow furrows, he just got a text from Lexa saying she was tired and had left early. And now he's concerned as to why Lexa would leave without telling Clarke.

"Uh…She left just now, she texted me to say she was tired and going home. She didn't tell you?"

Okay, now Clarke is confused. She pulls out her phone and checks to see if Lexa has texted her, maybe she wasn't feeling well. She checks her phone, no texts. Now she kinda pissed off, she barely got anytime at all with the brunette and now she's just up and left.

"Uh…no, she didn't tell me."

Clarke turns away from her friends and quickly dials Lexa's number, hoping to get an explanation for her leaving and to check if she's okay. It rings twice before she's sent to voicemail. Strange. She calls 3 more times before the phone goes straight to voicemail. Did Lexa turn her phone off?

So she decides to text the brunette instead.

To Lexa: Hey, Lex! Lincoln says you left, are you okay? Can you call me please?

Clarke would drive over to Lexa's apartment, but she's already drank too much to drive. When an hour goes by without a text from Lexa, she starts to get irritated, but she's genuinely concerned that Lexa might be unwell or something is wrong.

To Lexa: Lexa? PLEASE text me back or call me. I'm getting worried.

By the time everyone has left and Clarke is sitting up in her bed, another hour has gone by without any contact from Lexa.

To Lexa: I'm really worried now, If you don't answer me soon, I'm gonna get a cab over there. Please let me know you're okay.

After 10 minutes, Clarke's phone vibrates her hand, she jumps and instantly swipes the screen open.

From Lexa: I'm fine.

 _What the fuck?_ Clarke stares at the simple text, completely and utterly confused by the brunette's behaviour tonight. She texts Lexa back, but all future texts go unanswered.

Clarke wakes up Saturday morning and she is PISSED. Lexa hasn't answered any of her text messages and it's starting to really hurt. What the hell happened? Why is Lexa ignoring her? Clarke is frustrated at all the unknowns and it particularly stings that this happening so soon after they slept together. They haven't even had a chance to talk about anything.

Clarke throws on some jeans, a hoodie and a pair of running shoes before driving over to Lexa's apartment, to find out what the hell is going on.

When Clarke knocks on Lexa's door, Lincoln answers. He looks uncomfortable and that just makes Clarke more irritated.

"Is Lexa here?"

"Um…no, she went out for a run."

Clarke narrows her eyes at the man, he looks on edge and his body is angled, so that Clarke can't see into the apartment. He's looking anywhere but in Clarke's eyes. He's lying.

"Oh really?…" Clarke takes out her phone and shoots a quick text to Lexa. A familiar Text notification tone rings out somewhere in the apartment. Clarke raises an eyebrow at Lincoln.

He sighs and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. Once his arm has moved from the doorframe, Clarke quickly barges passed him and heads for Lexa's bedroom.

She doesn't bother knocking, entirely too frustrated by now and throws the door open to find Lexa sitting on her bed, phone in hand. The brunette just stares at her, she doesn't say a word.

"Really, Lexa? What the fuck is going on? Why won't you answer any of my texts or calls?"

Lexa still doesn't say anything, she just gets up off the bed and grabs her leather jacket, and walks passed Clarke.

The blonds whips around in disbelief and grabs the brunette's wrist, stopping her.

"Hey, please talk to me, has something happened? Did I do something?"

Lexa looks down at where Clarke has grabbed her wrist and then looks up to meet Clarke's eyes. The coldness in the brunette's eyes makes Clarke drop her hand as she recoils back at the icy glare.

"L-Lexa-I"

The brunette cuts her off, voice low and void of emotion.

"No, you don't speak. Have I not given you enough, Clarke? Have I not proved myself, over and over again? Even after you SHOT ME"

Clarke freezes, she thought they'd gotten passed this. Lexa's words make her eyes sting and she winces at the blow that hits her right in the heart. The blonde just cannot grasp why this is happening, what changed?

"Please, I-I just don't understand." she chokes out, she can feel the tears starting to flow, there's no way she can stop them, not when Lexa is being so hurtful.

Something flashes in Lexa's eyes at seeing Clarke's tears, but its quickly gone again, the brunette takes a step back and doesn't look Clarke in the eyes.

"Neither do I." she says, before turning and leaving her own apartment.

Lexa doesn't see Clarke all weekend. And Clarke doesn't try to text or call.

Lexa hated seeing Clarke cry, but she's hurt and angry at what she heard at Clarke's apartment. She doesn't know what else she could possibly do to gain the blonde's trust. She thought she had it.

 _Friday, Clarke's Apartment - Game Night_

 _Lexa had been trying to excuse herself from her conversation with Harper, for about half an hour now. She desperately wanted to talk to Clarke, be with Clarke and finally ask her partner to be her girlfriend. She also really, really needs to pee. They are at a good place and after the other night, when they finally slept together - god, that night is all that consumes Lexa's mind, everything was perfect._

 _Lexa sees Clarke walk off into the kitchen, and after having more than enough of Harpers high pitched laughs and not so subtle flirting, she excuses herself. As she makes her way to the kitchen, she sees Raven approach Clarke and then pull her past the kitchen doorway and to the end of the hallway. Not wanting to interrupt their conversation, but also really needing to pee by now, the brunette figures she can just politely slip passed them. She's about to do just that when she hears Clarke's voice as she approaches._

 _"…Lexa is a problem. I just don't trust her." It stops Lexa is her tracks, she whirls around and goes back to the kitchen. She's devastated to hear Clarke say those words. She still didn't trust her. Clarke thinks Lexa is still a problem. What the fuck? Why on earth did they sleep together is Clarke still doesn't trust her? Did it not mean anything to Clarke? The pain is overwhelming, squeezing at Lexa's fragile heart. She thought they were okay. She has to get out of there._

Lexa slips out the door, she shoots Lincoln a quick text and leaves. Hurt and anger twisting in her gut.

Lexa is dreading seeing Clarke, but work is work and she has to deal with it. She arrives at the station 15minutes early and walks into HQ, mentally preparing herself to just try and get through the day without her emotions getting the better of her.

She gets to her and Clarke's office to find it empty, Clarke obviously hasn't arrived yet, so Lexa sighs in relief at having some time to gather her bearings.

Lexa is sitting at her desk with her coffee, Clarke is 30minutes late, which is odd as Clarke is never late. Traffic, maybe?

Just then, there is a knock on the office door and Raven walks in.

"Hey Lex, Looks like your with me today, Blondie's called in sick."

Lexa frowns and her anger starts to build. Wow, Clarke is the one calling in sick? She's got a nerve, It should be Lexa avoiding Clarke, not the other way around.

"Seriously? Wow, I doubt she's sick, she's probably avoiding seeing me because she feels guilty. Which, is hilarious, if anyone should be wanting to avoid the other, it should be me. I hear you guys on game night."

Raven looks at her, an eyebrow quirked in question.

"Uh, what? You're going to have to fill me in on the latest drama, because I'm confused as to why you're not speaking so kindly about Blondie, and I don't like it. So, start talking." Lexa frowns at the other girl, surely she's well aware of why Lexa is so upset, Raven was the one Clarke was talking to after all.

Lexa quickly fills in Raven on everything she heard on game night, how she felt, how she left and everything that's happened since then. When she finishes talking, she immediately feels confusion as the look on Raven's face. It's a mixture or anger and disbelief.

"You're a fucking idiot. I legit want to slap you right now. You've got everything, so, so fucking wrong."

Lexa is taken aback, why is Raven taking Clarke's side, Clarke is the one in the wrong.

"What? Are you kidding me right now? What the hell have I got or done wrong?"

Raven rolls her eyes and crosses her arms, pinning Lexa with a glare.

"First of all, Lexa, you only heard the tail end of that conversation. Clarke actually said, and I quote 'I know, I know. I'm being silly. It's not even that Lexa is a problem. I just don't trust _her'_ ** _as in HARPER_** , she was saying she didn't trust Harper because, let's be honest, that girl is far too flirty with any pretty girl or boy. Clarke was jealous, she was being impatient because she wanted to spend time with you."

Lexa instantly feels all the colour drain from her face, her blood runs cold. Fuck.

"Secondly, you're a mega massive asshole right now. You could've at least given her the benefit of the doubt and asked her about it. But no, you had to be a drama queen without any communication. Clarke adores you, I'm pretty sure that girl is madly in love with you and you just treated her like shit. You didn't even let her talk. She's probably devastated right now."

Lexa feels like utter shit. She jumped to conclusions, something she'd given Clarke a really hard time for, in the past. Oh god - The way I spoke to Clarke, I was so cruel.

"I've fucked up."

"You fucked up big time."

"Shit, Rae, what do I do?"

Raven can clearly see the panic in Lexa's eyes, she's pissed that Lexa has hurt Clarke, but Lexa's her friend too, so she decides to help her out. Raven sighs heavily and pulls out her phone, she calls Octavia and tells her about the conversation she's just had with Lexa. Octavia sounds pissed, but she reluctantly agrees when Raven suggests Lexa goes around to see Clarke and apologise.

Raven ends her call and looks up to meet Lexa's desperate eyes.

"Okay, I spoke to O and she says Clarke is there, she's in bed, she really is sick, she has the flu…."

Lexa's head drops, she feels even worse that Clarke is sick, the stress of Lexa's actions probably didn't help with that.

"…Look, Lexa. I suggest you go around there and apologise right away, I suggest you grovel, I'll cover for you, but you better make things right, Blondie doesn't deserve this shit."

Lexa nods rapidly, before grabbing her wallet and keys from the desk. She quickly hugs Raven and says a thank you before running out to her car.

Lexa arrives at Clarke and Octavia's apartment, sweaty palms and shaky hands. She's screwed up big time and all that keeps running through her mind is the pained look in Clarke's eyes when she came to Lexa's apartment. She knocks gently and the door flies open, revealing a very pissed looking Octavia.

"O, Listen, I-"

"Save it. I am so fucking angry with you right now. Why didn't you talk to me or Linc? or fucking Clarke? Honestly, Lexa…you're an idiot sometimes." Octavia's eyes soften as she sees that Lexa is clearly distressed and looking incredibly guilty. "Look, It probably wasn't my place, but Clarke is really sick and I feel so bad for her, she's been crying and puking since Saturday night. I told her what Raven told me on the phone, she knows why you flipped out but she's really hurt. She told me you threw the shooting thing in her face, NOT cool Lexa."

Lexa winces as she remembers what she said about that, not cool indeed, she's passed that, she said it to hurt Clarke because she thought Clarke has hurt her. I'm the biggest asshole.

"I know, I feel terrible, I'm so sorry, I can't bear the things I said to her, I just need to apologise."

Octavia steps back from the door and quirks an eyebrow as Lexa drags a huge box full of bags and balloons into the apartment.

"It's for Clarke, but I have to see if she'll let me apologise first."

Lexa turns and walks towards Clarke's bedroom door, hands shaking as she knocks and then opens the door slowly.

When she finally enters the room, her heart immediately aches at the sight. Clarke is curled up on her side, under the covers, her eyes are puffy and red, a light sheen of sweat across her brow, showing she's fighting a fever. The blonde looks so small and exhausted, her watery eyes look up at Lexa, they hold nothing but sadness.

Lexa feels a lump form in her throat, its painful. She rushes across the room and is instantly on her knees infant of Clarke, where she lies curled up in her bed.

"I'm so, so, so sorry Clarke. I'm so sorry, I'm so stupid." she croaks out, reaching out to gently take the blondes hand that isn't holding a tissue, finding slight relief when Clarke doesn't flinch away from her touch.

"It's okay, Octavia told me you heard me and Raven wrong, you just got it all mixed up." Clarke's voice is faint and hoarse, no doubt caused by her symptoms. Lexa is shocked by Clarke's understanding, not feeling like she deserves such easy forgiveness.

"No, Clarke, I acted horribly, I was so cruel to you. I'm so sorry, I reacted without speaking to you about it….and…i said some horrible things to you…I-"

"You were mad, we say things we don't mean when we're mad, at least I'm hoping you didn't mean them." the blonde coughs and sniffles, she's really sick and Lexa curses herself for causing Clarke such stress.

"I didn't mean what I said…about…when you shot me. That was a low blow…no excuses, I behaved badly and it was unfair of me to throw that in your face, I said I forgive you and I honestly do. That was such a shit thing to say."

"It was. It hurt, Lex." a few tears fall from Clarke's eyes and Lexa leans forward, wiping them away with her thumbs and then gently running her fingers through messy blonde waves.

"I'm so sorry, I'll never react like that again, please don't cry. I promise I will always talk to you before I may any assumptions on anything, Please tell me we will be okay."

"We're okay, It just still hurts, It'll pass eventually, but it still hurts right now, but I forgive you. I understand, but you were really stupid to just leave like that."

"Let me make it up to you, I'll be right back." Clarke's brow furrows as she watches Lexa leave the room, she's gone for about 10minutes before Clarke looks up to the doorway after hearing some loud shuffling. Clarke can't help but grin at what she sees.

Lexa is walking into the room, trying to carry several balloons that have "Get Well Soon" on them, several heavy bags hang off her furry arms…yes, furry arms. Lexa is dresses head to toe in the most adorable Pluto the dog costume, her face squished into a hole where the characters mouth should be. Lexa has a nervous smile on her face.

"Lexa…why are you Pluto?" the blonde says through small chuckles, Lexa does looks very cute.

"He's your favourite cartoon character, right? I thought it would be funny, cheer you up some."

Clarke snorts and then erupts into cackles of laughter which cause her to choke and cough a few times. Lexa tilts her head to the side - like a damn puppy , confused and Clarke laughs even more at how adorable the other woman looks.

"Lex…haha…Lexa, awwww, it's Scooby Doo….Scooby is my favourite character."

Lexa blushes bright red, her shoulders slump and she pouts at her mistake. Scooby Doo, of course, where the hell did i get Pluto from?

"I'm sorry, I'm getting everything wrong."

Clarke can't stop laughing, but reigns it in enough to usher Lexa over to her. Lexa drags her feet over to Clarke's bed, still pouting. Clarke cannot stand how adorable the brunette looks right now, it's too much.

"It's fine! This is so much better, you are adorable. If I wasn't so sick I would cover your face in kisses, this is so cute. I love the balloons too, what's in the bags?"

Lexa jumps up and brings the bags to the bad, waddling as she walks, Clarke lets out a snort when she sees Lexa's tail.

"I went to like 5 stores and bought you as much Flu medicine as I could find, the good stuff. We have cough syrup, throat lozenges, pain killers, Vapo Rub…" Lexa wiggles her eyebrows and Clarke laughs as she pulls one of Lexa's floppy ears, causing the brunette to feign a glare. "…yeah, I can help you apply that if you want, we have various soups, snacks, chocolate, different teas that apparently help clear your sinuses. I got some more boxes of tissues, they have a special balm on them so its soft on your nose and I also have a bunch of juices, good for vitamin C. Oh! and some magazines….I…I could make you some soup and we could watch a movie or something together? I wanna take care of you…If you'll let me."

How can Clarke possibly say no? Lexa is looking at her with shy, vulnerable eyes…and she's in a freaking Pluto costume! She's sweetly bought all these things to make Clarke feel better, Clarke can see how truly sorry the brunette is.

"Lex, this is all so sweet of you. I'm just worried if you stay around me that you will get sick too."

"Actually, not a problem, I had a flu shot whilst I was away. I can't get sick. Please, Clarke, _please_ let me stay and take care of you." Lexa's eyes shine with hope and Clarke doesn't see why she can't stay, she wants her to stay.

"Okay Pluto, you can stay."

Lexa lets out a toothy grin that make her look even cuter. Lexa makes Clarke some chicken noodle soup and a nice peppermint tea. She wraps Clarke up in her arms on the bed whilst they watch some movies and soothingly rubs Clarke's back when she has a coughing fit. Lexa knows that she has more making up to do, her behaviour has been awful, but Clarke is so forgiving and understanding, she feels unbelievably lucky.

They eventually fall asleep, with Clarke snuggled up into Lexa's side. Octavia comes in to check on them and chuckles at the sight of her sick roommate snuggling up to Pluto, Lexa falling asleep before she could change. Octavia puts her phone on silent and snaps a few pictures. She hopes her two friends can move on without anymore drama or misunderstandings, they are so in love, they deserve to be happy.

Several days later, Clarke is back at work. Thanks to Lexa's constant (if not a little over the top at times) care and affections, she's feeling much better. They are better. Clarke has never felt so cared for, Lexa has been so wonderful.

When Clarke enters their office, she's surprised to be instantly pulled into the room and pressed against the wall by her partner. Lexa captures her lips and kisses her hot and hard, hands travelling up and down her sides, squeezing her hips.

"Well, good morning to you, too, Lex" Clarke says breathlessly, as their lips part to take a breath.

"Mmm, Good Morning, I missed you, I don't like working with Raven - she's bossy."

Clarke chuckles and sighs as Lexa places gentle kisses along her neck.

"You've seen me everyday, before _AND_ after work. And i'm sure I can be bossy too."

Lexa pulls back to look at Clarke and grins. "I like it when _you're_ bossing me around. And I miss you whenever I'm not with you, every second."

Clarke looks back into Lexa's eyes and all she sees is truth. The blonde pulls Lexa in from another kiss, hoping that it contains all her feelings for the brunette, that she misses her like that too.

"Clarke…" Lexa whispers against the blondes lips "…will you be my girlfriend?"

Clarke smiles widely, she presses a kiss against those beautiful plump lips and then nods.

"Yes, Lex. I'd love to be your girlfriend."

Lexa smiles back and then pulls away.

"Okay, come on! let's head out, I don't want to stay late today, I'd like to take my girlfriend out for dinner and then hopefully she'll let me ravish her tonight." that smirk is back on Lexa's face and it makes Clarke's skin tingle.

Lexa strides confidently out of the office until she feels a hand connecting with her ass with a smack. She jumps and whips around to find her girlfriend passing her by, confidently, biting her bottom lip as she winks back at the brunette.

Lexa grins, her girlfriend is hot as fuck. She runs to catch up with the blonde, hoping Clarke will definitely let her ravish her tonight.


End file.
